Unfurling Bud
by ColorfulRandomness
Summary: Pink hair. Green eyes. An annoying Inner. Out of all worlds... I get the psychotic, blood-crazed one? Oh haha. Apparently, God had a sense of humor. OC-Insert
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer:** I do not own _Naruto_ , and the only thing I own is my OC/OC's. I also do not own the lovely cover shown above. Please keep in mind that this will only be repeated once.

 **Warning:** Rated T for language.

Imagine this. You're snuggled inside, mug of tea in hand and flipping through the worn pages of your favorite book. Your mother suddenly yells out from across the house, saying something like getting groceries. You sigh, stare wistfully at the open book, and sluggishly crawl out from the mound of blankets you so carefully made. Minutes later, you find yourself opening the front door noisily and grabbing your thick winter jacket in a hurry to go to the local grocery store. Might as well get it over with, you think to yourself.

0o0o0

Ice crunches loudly beneath your foot, reminding you of your mother's words: be careful and watch your step. You laugh internally, wondering what could possibly go wrong. It wasn't like you were especially clumsy like your little sister, or careless like your air-head of an older brother. Like you thought before, your mother was worried for nothing. You were always the most level-headed of the family anyways.

Rounding the corner to see the little store, you smile to yourself, pondering what small snack you should get. As you were stupidly lost in thought, you didn't notice the grown man walking rapidly towards you - eyes glued to his mobile phone. When he reached you, three things happened in quick succession.

He -of course- slipped.

Which led him to smack in to you.

Which in turn, made you slip too.

 _Right_ into an incoming truck. It was unexpectedly painless.

Sadly, there was no light tunnel. Neither was there a major memory flashback. There was just a feeling of 'oh-wow-I'm-dying' and 'I-should-have-listened-to-mother'. After a while, you stop looking for pretty singing angels who showered you with golden pixie dust... You blame your little sister.

And that, ladies and gentlemen, was the story of how I died. Fun, wasn't it?

Now, now, I'm joking. Don't answer that. On another fabulously cheery note, that story didn't end there. If it did, then I would have never started this story, and my name would remain as insignificant as a speck of dust floating aimlessly - banned from ever having a purpose. Sad enough for you to continue? Well then, let's begin.(My incessant yammering has probably bored you to tears already)

From the moment I died, I was graciously offered another chance to live. If you call 'graciously offered' forcibly slipping your soul into another body... But anyways, by the time I awoke, I realized that the Eliza who lived peacefully in a little town was no more.

I was now Sakura Haruno, living not-so-peacefully in an era where traumatized little kids played with _pointy knives_ and tragic adults killed with _bigger, pointier knives_.

...can I please go back now?

0o0o0

A/N: Hello all. This is my first fanfic, and I hope you enjoy it! Many thanks to Pleasereadmything, for putting up with my incessant pestering and stupid ideas! If you have the time, please check out her stories! She has a load that are simply _amazing_. I'm sure you would be able to find something of your liking.

On that note, Unfurling Bud is inspired by the fan fiction, Sakura by Darkpetal16. If you haven't already, go read it! Stop what you're doing, and go read it! Pure rainbow magic that one...

Reviews would really make my day! :)


	2. Chapter One

'...' - Eliza talking to Inner Sakura.

 **... -** Inner Sakura speaking.

A groan escaped my lips, followed by a rare bit of fowl language. Why me...? I grumbled moodily and buried my face into the nearest pillow, trying(and failing)to squash the monstrosity currently beating my brain into mush.

Sobbing mentally and balling my fists, I hit them repeatedly around my head. If anything, that only aggravated the headache some more, but it was obvious that I was in no state to think rationally at the moment.

Luckily, it was only a momentary lapse of stupidity. After massaging and kneading appropriate pressure points, the torturous throbbing quieted to a low hum - a welcome change. Finally content, I opened my eyes- Then promptly shut them. I didn't know _what_ to expect, but it certainly wasn't this.

Wonder what is was?

...pink. It was pink. The rosy color mobbed my vision, causing me to harshly choke on my spit. Pink?! I let out a little squeak. Since when did I have pink pillows? _Nonono._

Pushing myself slowly up into a sitting position, I rubbed my eyes roughly and waited for them to clear up. But when they did, my heart almost stopped for a second time. Memory after memory abruptly flooded into my mind, awarding me with yet another splitting headache.

The lasts moments of my death. Ninja. An unfamiliar couple. Blond hair and flowers. Some military academy. A brooding...pretty-boy? I was really starting to get sick, looking through so many images of him... There were thousands, I tell you.

When the multitude of images finished assaulting my mind, I flopped back down onto the unfamiliar bed and curled up into a ball. By now, I was wishing someone would just stab me in the head just to relieve the torture. It felt like something decided to host a boxing match in my head and pounded their fists repeatedly into the walls of my mind. Add in a crowd of roaring fans...and you have succeeded in recreating my worst nightmare.

Let it be known that I was _not_ a happy camper.

 **...yo...**

I could have sworn-

 **... Yo.**

What.

 **Yo! Inner Sakura here!**

...next thing I know I have a talking person in my head. I'm hallucinating, right? Right. Maybe I'll just go back and somehow...float back into my dead body. That's it...I crawled back under the unfamiliar covers and squeezed my eyes shut, wishing desperately to go back to how things were. Let me go back. _Please_ let me go back. Pleaseplease _please._ I'm begging you, okay? Tell me this isn't real. Tell me this is a dream. Tell me-

 **Are you an** ** _idiot_** **?**

I bolted upright. _Again?_ Okay, okay. I'll just reply and...see what happens. Calm down and _breathe_. You got this.

'N-no.'

 **That's right. So don't pull this hallucinating shit on me!**

'So...who were you again?'

 **The name's Inner Sakura! Listen will ya?**

'Alright, I'm Eliza. But if you're Inner Sakura, then I'm, no, the body that I took over is Sakura's?'

 **Sweetheart, how long did it take you to figure** ** _that_** **one out?**

I huffed in annoyance. 'Even if you _are_ a complete stranger, I'm just going to say it straight out: I _don't_ like you. Heck, I could be even more truthful and say I hate you. Where is she then?' I felt my heart rate gradually slow, the boisterous voice strangely soothing.

 **That's cute. Trying to be all intimidating are we? Sakura's just in dormant form, in some deep chamber in your mind. She'll awake sooner or later, so don't worry your pretty little head.**

A buzz of worry suddenly appeared in my mind, betraying her nonchalant words. Is there something she isn't telling me? Hmm... I brushed it off, making note to ask later. After all, it was her business and not mine. It wouldn't be right to pry.

'Well, okay. But really, I can't help but notice...' I retaliated with an insult, 'You have great talent Inner Sakura. Talent for being a complete _ass_.' There was a zing of indignation.

 **Don'tcha want answers or something? You'll never get them if you start paying me some real respect!**

'...fine. I'm sorry, okay?' The amusement beneath my voice gave me away.

 **Are you kidding me? You're giving me such a shitty apology? I'll only overlook this once ya hear?!**

A probing sensation suddenly materialized in my mind, 'What are you doing Inner Sakura?!'

 **Oh, shut up. I'm just arranging your memories, dummy. Your head hurt before because Sakura's memories was forcibly transferring over. The reason you're acting like an amnesiac is because you haven't registered them yet. Come on, you didn't even know who I was! Now-**

'Wait! I still have...have... Don't...'

 ** _Sleep._**

0o0o0

When I awoke, I was faced with a peculiar feeling. It was preferable to the headache of course, but strange nevertheless. If I were to describe it in words, it would be like I had aged a few years somehow.

Memories that were Sakura's were now mine, and they were carefully interwoven into my collection of memories. Say, if I thought about animals, then it would have led to the animal-hunting trip Sakura went on. And if I thought about...

Oh, oh god no. My eyes widened in sudden horror and realization, throat constricting painfully. I trembled and swallowed thickly, hands tightly clenching the silky pink sheets surrounding me.

H-how?

Everything w- was just a cruel joke. I mean, this was taking this a bit too far isn't it? I was currently Sakura _Haruno_. Haruno! Someone supposedly from a fictional world! What a compete far-

 **Hate to break it to you honey, but this is all real.**

'What... What was I going to do then?! Even though Sakura was practically useless, she had a main part in the actual plot! A god- A plot!'

 **Well, last time I checked I wasn't part of any fucking fictional plot. I'm real. R-E-A-L. Now get that through your thick skull!**

'O-okay. Let's say that you are real. What am _I_ going to do then? A stranger! In her body! And besides, weren't you her sharing her body before? Why aren't you concerned about her at all?!' I covered my wail with a pillow, adding a few hoarse, panicked screams into it as well. To my embarrassment, I also felt tears prick my eyes.

 **What does** ** _that_** **have- have to do with** ** _anything_** **? I care! We've always been together, damn it! What'd you expect?! I'm really dealing with a moron here... *sigh* Make use of Sakura's memories, and soldier your way through the plot! You died once, and God apparently gave you a second chance. You're supposed to make fucking use of it! Not squander it like some piece of trash! This is Sakura's body, and I want her to actually return to it!**

'I know, I _know_. But is it so bad that I want to stay out of everything? I'm just a simple _girl_ , after all. I- I didn't _ask_ to die! Now, I've lost all the people that I love! I'll never see my mother, little sis, or my older brother anymore! I miss them. _.._ So much... Besides, ha! _Ahahahaha!_ You must be crazy if you think I can last a second in this blood-crazed world. A wimp like me can't possibly be a shinobi!'

 **Did ya forget? You have me! The one and only, Inner Sakura! I'll help you survive even if it blows this presence to bits! So stop moping around like some broody punk! You're not the only one who's operating in dire situations you know? I have my problems, and you have yours! Yet you don't see be being a little downer about everything! Start putting on your big girl pants on and** ** _deal_** **!**

'No! It's not that simple! I've lost...everything. You- How can you know what I feel? You're just a voice!' I fling off the suddenly too hot sheets, curling up into a ball.

'Y- You can't just expect me to play super hero and save the two of you. I- I'm just power-' I stopped abruptly, another realization gradually dawning. There... There were other powerless, innocent characters who were going to _die_ , and here I was, acting like I was the only person living in the world. _Stupidstupidstupid._ But what about _them_? Who was going to care about them? I knew what was going to happen, yet I made no effort at all to help.' I swallowed thickly.

 **...they're not just characters, you realize. People, made out of flesh and blood, is what they are. I've told you. We're not** ** _part_** **of a fictional plot.**

I chose not to reply.

Char- No, _people_ , were also trying their hardest to survive, and I was just being _blinded_ by my own selfish needs. I had put aside their determination and now, I was just so... _Ugh, I was heartless._ Besides, their daily lives practically revolved around loss! I was just being a stubborn little kid, adamant on believing only what she wanted to believe.

You know what? Screw the consequences. The most I could do is live Sakura's life properly and save as much people as I possibly could. I was no heroine...but I could at least try. Trying was something that even I could do.

'Inner Sakura, you're right. Th... Thanks.' Inner Sakura was really starting to earn my respect...

 **That's exactly right brat!**

...and there it went. I mentally rolled my eyes. 'Weren't we over name-calling?'

 **Haha. Not a chance, ya little shit.**

'Why you-'

"Sakura! Time to get up!" a loud feminine voice called from downstairs.

"..."

 **What are you waiting for idiot? Reply!**

"Sakura?"

"Y-yes moth- mom!" I stumbled over my words in a hurry to get them out of my throat. Somehow...hearing the voice of Sakura's mother made me pause, reminding me of my own. I set those thoughts aside, knowing exactly what would happen if I lingered; runny noses and tears. I didn't want to create a mess I couldn't clean up.

Stepping out quickly from the warm bed, I yawned and stretched, feeling my bones pop satisfyingly. After making my bed, I padded over to the bathroom and looked in the mirror. A grimace slowly made it's way to my face. As expected, it was weird.

I shook off the feeling and splashed water on my slightly swollen eyes, starting on my daily routine.

Walking out of the bathroom, I was suddenly faced with another dilemma. Dresses? Worn them about five times in my whole life- complete truth. They simply had way too much drag and were...impractical. Rummaging through my closet, I managed to find a nice, red kimono-styled shirt and a fish net one. Slipping both on along with Sakura's usual black shorts and weaponry, I was pretty much taken care of.

Though when I tried to walk out the room, Inner screeched at me to stop.

 **Eliza! What do you think you're doing?! Why are you going out like** ** _that_** **?**

What do you mean? I think I look perfectly fine.

 **Your hair is like a rat's nest! Sakura would never walk out like that!**

Huh? Come on, Inner. It's not that bad.

 **At least put a comb through it! Please, I begging you! At least I want to look pretty!**

Okay, okay. Don't panic. I'll go back and brush it. Hey, I'll even put it up! Happy?

Honestly, Inner was making a fuss over nothing. If we were actually going to this military academy, tangled hair was nothing. It was going to get messed up anyways, so why bother? Well, I can agree with putting up, but that's it. Eh...maybe I was just being lazy.

 **You better.**

True to my words, I brushed my hair and pinned it up into a sleek bun, even hiding a few senbon through it. It couldn't hurt to be over prepared. Hehe, if anyone tries to grab my hair, they'll be in for a nasty little surprise!

Imagine their faces contorted in surprise and pain, never expecting such a level of pure genius! I smirked to myself and tied the forehead protector on the table like a headband.

 **You're sick.**

'Whatever Inner.' I shook my head, walking down the stairs and smiling a greeting at Sakura's mother. "Good morning...mom."

She beamed at me, "Good morning, Sakura. Breakfast is on the table if you want it." I nodded absentmindedly and grabbed an apple from the table. "Oh! I almost forgot. Sakura, your father and I will be going out for a business trip again. Don't forget to lock the doors, and take care of yourself! Don't let any boys in either! Especially that _Sasuke_ of yours..."

I smiled at her again and nodded my understanding, mentally making gagging noises. Waving at her from the door, I headed out, munching heartily on the apple. Finishing it in a dozen or so large bites, I licked my lips and wiped the sweet juice dribbling down my chin.

Sakura really has nice parents... How nice. Now, getting to the academy...

"Oof!" Who..?

0o0o0

Well, left you guys a cliff hanger! I really hope I do Eliza's feelings justice, so please tell me if it feels like she's too accepting or flat. Pushing criticism aside, you guys are awesome! So many favorites, follows, and reviews in just a few days? Mind blown.

Reviews would really make my day!


	3. Chapter Two

'...' - Eliza talking to Inner Sakura.

 **... -** Inner Sakura speaking. **  
**

I looked to the side and saw a pretty blonde... Ino? She and Sakura were best friends during the academy if I recall. What a waste, really. They broke their friendship over a stuck-up little Uchiha boy? Both Ino and Sakura acted like brainless zombies in front of a person who didn't even notice them! Sakura, _sakura_... shame.

"Oi, Forehead! Aren't you going to _apologize_?" I blinked, startled out of my thoughts.

"Wha...? Uh.. Oh. O-oh!" I so intelligently answered.

"Forehead... What are you playing at?" her eyes narrowed dangerously.

"Sorry! I- I didn't see you there." I smiled sheepishly at her.

"Hmph, you better watch it!" She flipped her blonde ponytail over her shoulder and sashayed in front of me.

"W-wait! Ino!" An idea bounced around my head.

"What?" She turned and glared at me.

"I-"

"You have _five_ minutes."

"I've thought about this for a while and decided..." I paused, "That I don't really want us to have this rivalry anymore. The fight for Sasuke? I... g-give up." It had to be some what believable, right? Thus the annoying pauses and stammering. Give up Sasuke? Ha! I'd do it in a heartbeat.

"Forehead? I... I don't believe this. _You_? Give up Sasuke? Impossible, I mean-" Ino fumbled, eyebrows drawn together.

I cut in quickly, "It's true, Ino." The girl who had helped Sakura built up her confidence shouldn't have to be part of such a foolish rivalry. I had seen how kind Ino had been, and I wanted to protect this friendship - not let it sour. Besides, severing this stupid tie would only increase her potential.(maybe...)

"This must be some kind of joke. Are you taking me as some kind of _fool_?"

"No!" I walked towards her and grabbed her shoulder softly, willing her to understand how much this meant. Sakura's feelings were also something I felt. Deep down, I knew she held some sort of regret towards the shattered friendship. "Ino, we could _die_ out there as kunoichi. I don't want to wake up one day, losing you, and regret never telling you how I felt. So... Ino. He's all yours. Sasuke, I mean."

Her eyes softened ever so slightly, "Forehea- Sakura, you could be lying for all I know..."

I bit my lip, "Well, that's true."

"What-"

"But," I waited patiently for her to stop bristling, "that doesn't change how I feel. I've done all I can, Ino. Please, believe me." I looked her pleadingly.

"Fore- Sakura, I..." She paused, then shuffled her feet. A few seconds later, she started slowly walking away. My face fell. Then, she stopped and whipped around. With a cry, she launched herself at me and enveloped me in a bone-crushing hug. "Aw, damn it! Why can't I be mad at you? Our rivalry ends today, okay?!" I grinned and hugged her just as hard. "And by the way," she started and pulled back, "nice outfit. Way better than that dress you used to wear."

"Thanks, Ino." My grin faded as I took note of the time. "We'd better get going."

She smirked, "Race ya!"

"Eat dust, Ino-pig!" I made a move as if to go forward.

"In your dreams, Forehead!" We both took off in the direction of the academy, though neither of us were really serious about competing.

I smiled softly to myself.

0o0o0

We reached the classroom in the nick of time. Opening the door, I let Ino in and walked in afterwards. Her eyes immediately zeroed in onto the empty seat next to Sasuke, and she glanced at me guiltily.

I quickly made the connection and gave her a thumbs up, simultaneously making a shooing motion. She leapt at the chance and mouthed 'later' to me. I nodded and stifled a chuckle. Ino and her fan girl tendencies...

"Good morning Sakura-chan! I like your new outfit!" someone shouted. I looked a little to the right and spotted a blond boy grinning madly at me - Naruto.

I smiled, "Good morning Naruto. And... thanks." he brightened further. How cute.

Meanwhile, a gaggle of fan girls surrounded Sasuke, each fighting for the seat next to him. Ino regretfully included. Screeches and girlish screams met my ears in a 'harmonious' symphony, effectively causing my ears to bleed out.

Kyaa! Kyaa! Sasuke-kun this. Sasuke-kun that. I dug my nails into my thigh, trying not to spit out a sarcastic comment.

"I got here before you!"

"No, I did!"

"Why you little-" _Enough._ I winced and slowly inched away, taking a seat in a corner. My head was already beginning to pound from annoyance. Ugh, Ino, how can you stand-

 **My Saasuuukeeee-kuuun!**

'I-Inner?' What the heck?! It was to be expected since Sakura liked Sasuke in the anime... But still. It was incredibly chilling when Inner actually thought it. I wrapped my arms around myself. 'Inner, you better stop that before I keel over and die a second time.'

 **Sorry... Habit.**

'You don't- You don't really _really_ like him do you?'

 **Well, used too... I mean, he _is_ kinda cute. Those dreamy dark looks and-**

I tactfully pushed those thoughts out of my head and straightened up as Iruka came in. Not on my watch.

"Good morning class!" My eyes slowly glazed over as I stared at the front, ears automatically blocking out any sound. It was a useful trick, I must say, after hours of listening to all the boring crap in school. Teachers almost never bother to call on the ones who 'listen'. They much prefer to torture the ones who never seemed to know the answers.

Taking the time that Iruka used to teach, I reviewed what I knew about Sakura. She... was to be put on Team 7, along with Naruto and Sasuke. Their teacher was Kakashi Hatake, someone who was sorely stuck in the past and viewed Sakura's teammates as his former ones.

Eh, he was a funny enough guy I guess. But somehow, I couldn't bring myself to _fully_ like him. I mean, he set aside both Naruto and Sakura to favor _Sasuke_. Our little emo duck. I swear, if anyone mentions him again-

"...and Sasuke Uchiha." I snapped up at the name and slammed my hand on the table, standing up.

"I object!" I froze and covered my mouth, noticing the various levels of confusion on the faces of my classmates. Oh. Crap. What did I just do? My body just reacted on it's own...

"...Sakura, if you would kindly sit down and let me continue calling out the teams." Iruka looked at me sternly and made a downwards motion.

"S-sorry." I plopped back down on the seat and shrunk down.

 **Keke, you made a fool out of yourself. Lo~ser. Lo~ser. Loo~seer.**

'You're _not_ helping Inner.' I hid my face on the desk and shot off the moment Iruka dismissed us. Oh God. I can't believe I just did that... But, it _was_ pretty awesome. Seeing Sasuke's face was pretty much worth it. 'Haha, lil' broody-butt didn't expect that did he?'

 **Broody-butt eh? I hate to admit it, but it fits.**

'Hehe.'

0o0o0

I walked at a comfortable pace outside, munching hungrily on some salmon onigiri. A few feet away, Sasuke leaned on a tree, staring intensely at me. By now, the slight frustration that I had against him mostly faded, so I merely nodded at him in acknowledgment. But just as I was about to walk past, Sasuke spoke up.

"You have a charming, wide forehead." Woah, what a creep- Oh. It was Naruto _._

The corners of my lips twitched up in amusement, "Thanks."

"It makes me feel like... kissing it." I kept quiet, tears pooling at my eyes. "...kidding. That's something that Naruto would say. But there's something that I want to ask."

"What is it?" I still felt like laughing.

"What do you think of Naruto?" The mood slowly sobered up, leading me to remember the cruel words that Sakura had told Naruto in the anime. Poor, poor him. I had expected for Naruto to just run away, but he still sat there... waiting for her kiss. Cue puking. If I were him, I would have slapped her silly, but Sasuke had told her off pretty damn well. So, it was all good.

Point for the duck!

I smiled softly, "He's... a funny person and seems really nice. If possible, I'll like to be friends and know him better."

"R-really?"

"Yeah," I glanced at his blushing cheeks and immediately thought of Hinata... Ahah! I continued, "but I don't have any romantic affection for him, if that's what your asking." I watched his face fall with a sly smirk on my face. "I _do_ , however, know a certain girl who does..." I almost laughed out loud, watching his face fall and light up again.

"Oh wow! Who?" My eyes glinted, a slip up.

"I'll leave that for _me_ to know, and _you_ to find out." I stood up the moment he clutched his stomach. There was a little gurgle, and he hastily got up while shouting a goodbye. Snort.

"Bye..." I waved and polished off the last of the onigiri. Patting my stomach, I started walking to the classroom, then thought better of it. I turned and headed to the direction of my home, thinking of packing another lunch...

0o0o0

 _Munch._ Swallow. _Munch._ Swallow. _Mu_ \- I was halfway though the bite before I caught Naruto staring at my large bento box hungrily and Sasuke glaring at me - though I knew that he was secretly jealous. We were all waiting for our sloth of a teacher to show up, in case you haven't guessed, and take us(well, mostly Sasuke)out of our miseries.

I swallowed noisily, "Here, help yourself." My maternal instincts took over as I pushed my bento box towards Naruto, while grabbing an extra pair of chopsticks and placing them in his hands. At first, he started protesting fervently, though his stomach soon growled and gave him away. There was a pause, and I looked at him pointedly. He gave me a sheepish smile and heartily dug in.

Then, I tuned to the sad lump next to me. "Sasuke, you want some?"

"Hn." he turned his head and glared at the window.

I arched an eyebrow, "Okaaay, but just to let you know, I don't speak Uchihaese. So I'll just take that as, 'I was actually secretly jealous of your lunch and was really hoping you'd ask me Sakura-sama'.

He immediately whipped his head back and spat out a no. Hmm, that won't do. That won't do at all.

I smiled a closed-eyed smile, "Aww, sounds like the lil' emo duck finally learned how to use his words!" Naruto guffawed and choked. I patted him on the back, "There, there, Naruto. I know you're proud of him too." I smirked when I saw his eye twitching madly.

0o0o0

"He's laaaate." I nodded absentmindedly and spun my single chopstick, occasionally flicking it upwards. From the telling way his face lit up, I knew that Naruto had already found a solution. He quickly bounded to the board and grabbed an eraser, not expecting me to stop him.

"Naruto, wait." I gently took the eraser from him and grabbed a piece of pink chalk. Using the colored chalk, I scribbled all over the board and wiped it clean. When I was satisfied that the eraser had accumulated enough pink chalk, I handed it back to him and gave him two big thumbs up. He grinned back at me and carefully prepared his prank. Pink hair, here we come.

"Hn, a Jonin isn't going to fall for something as idiotic as that."

I knew that my win was practically in the bag, "Wanna bet? Ten bucks."

"Fine." I grinned, continuing to spin my chopstick. That arrogant prick would fall of his throne someday due to his overconfidence.

Soon, the silver-haired jonin appeared, eraser plopping unceremoniously on his head. Pink dust went flying every where, causing a flurry of sneezing. I smiled triumphantly despite my watering eyes, and mockingly stretched my palm towards Sasuke.

Grinding his teeth in annoyance, he rummaged through his pockets and slammed the money on the desk. I took the bills and stuffed it in one of the many pockets I had. Letting a small whoop, I went back to my chopstick spinning.

"How should I say this..." he began. "My first impression of you guys are..."

 _Whack!_ The chopstick suddenly flew out of my hand and slammed into the jonin's face, leaving behind an angry stick-shaped welt. We watched as it clattered to the ground in slow motion.

Dun. The chopstick hit the ground for the first time.

Dun. It leaned on the other end and hit the ground for the second time.

D-dun. It hit the ground for the third time and finally stopped, skidding near the feet of the annoyed jonin.

No one dared to make a sound, clearly aware of the killing intent shrouding the air. Shit. I made my face as expressionless as possible, imitating the stone-faced Uchiha next to me.

Kakashi was the first to break the silence,"...I _hate_ you."

 **Well, that went well.**

'Unfortunately.'

0o0o0

For all those who reviewed/followed/favorited a huge thank you! You can't imagine how happy it makes me to receive all these! I always do this little happy dance in my chair whenever I see something. Anyways, I hope you found this chapter to your liking.

NOTICE: Since I'm going to Florida this week(whoop! whoop!)I can't have the chapter ready by Tuesday like I usually do. Aww. But instead, the chapter will be posted next Thursday/Friday/Saturday depending on how jetlag gets to me.

Reviews would really make my day!


	4. Chapter Three

'...' - Eliza talking to Inner Sakura.

 **... -** Inner Sakura speaking. **  
**

"Okay then, introductions?"

"Like what? I mean, what are we supposed to say?" I asked, despite already knowing.

"Things you like, hate, hobbies, and dreams for the future. The basics." Kakashi answered, with a hidden eye roll.

Naruto piped up, "Why don't you go first! So we can see how it works!"

"Alright, I'm Kakashi Hatake. The things I like and hate... Mmn, I don't really feel like telling you that. Dreams for the future...? Dunno. Hobbies? I have lots of them. Now then, your turn." he pointed to Naruto.

Ah, as expected, the famed none-answer introduction.

"Believe it! My name is Naruto Uzumaki. I like cup ramen, especially the ramen at..." I nodded along, a small smile tugging at my lips. Naruto and his usual love for ramen never failed to add a little cheer to the mood. Unlike a certain someone.

After he finished, Kakashi gave an affirmative nod. I took this as my sign to speak.

"My name is Sakura Haruno... I like the sun, and dislike those who are prejudiced. My hobbies are reading and sketching. My dream, no, goal is to... survive." Kakashi nodded again with a glimmer of surprise that I missed, and waved his hand at Sasuke to begin.

"My name is Sasuke Uchiha..." And blah, blah, blah. Cut the crap. I discreetly scowled. Whereas Naruto's introduction added cheer, Sasuke's only added gloom and...emo-ness. Wasting my time on this dreary introduction was going to suck years from my life. Besides, why kill a man when you could simply capture and torture the heck out of them? Keeping him alive and making his life hell for the rest of his life would be _much_ better revenge. The stupidity of people sometimes.

"...at least you three have unique personalities." Kakashi started, though I didn't care enough to listen afterwards. There was something about a test, the passing rate not being high, and where to meet tomorrow - I knew that. Listening again would not to me any good. Besides, how likely would Kakashi divert from the bell-test? Things were pretty close to canon as far as I could see.

Everyone soon parted and went their separate ways, with Naruto chatting up a storm to fill the empty space. Man, this team really needs some work.

0o0o0

I flopped down onto my girly bed, dirty clothes and all. The bell test was tomorrow... and I haven't the faintest idea what to do. Well, more like, I was physically too weak to actually do anything.

Traps: I could set up a few basic ones, but I didn't have the imagination like Naruto to do anything really impressive. So, that was out.

Ninjutsu: My chakra reserves were just pathetic. Sure I could work it out eventually, but for the bell test? Nah.

Genjustsu: Eh. I didn't have the mastery for it to do any _real_ damage. The most I could manage was doing some little dispelling jutsu.

Taijutsu: I pant after only a phew laps. Blame Sakura.

Looking back, I'm pretty much screwed aren't I? Haha... Ha...

 **Don't worry! Why don't we do what Naruto did in the anime?**

'Hmm?' My attention was captured.

 **Remember the diversion tactic that he used? Except this time, we'll make it better!**

'You've got a point. We'll have Naruto make his shadow clones and distract Kakashi. Sasuke will also help by being the one to attack. But wait... Before we do even that, maybe we'll booby-trap the training ground and make it to our advantage! Let's see...' Fan fictions, come to my aid!

 **Uh huh. This is great and all, but how are we getting Sasuke and Naruto to work together again?**

'...'

 **Thought so.**

'...I think we should bribe Naruto with food. And Sasuke? We'll just tell him we've booby-trapped practically the whole place. He'll probably won't be that stupid to not to work together, right?' Sasuke could be such a _jerk_ sometimes, so I'm not too sure.

 **Well, there's always the off-chance that he** ** _will_** **be that stupid...**

'Eh, we'll get through to him...somehow.' So much for boosting my insecurities... I got up from the bed and went downstairs, selecting a few bars. Shutting and locking the door behind me, I headed towards a random training ground. Well, this is a start.

0o0o0

Finding a medium sized tree, I started to mold chakra into my hands and practiced sticking it onto the trunk. Finding success, I started trying my luck molding chakra onto my feet. It only took three steps before I fell straight onto my back. _Ow._ Pain shot up my back and left torturing tingles all over my spine. I apparently had to work on my tolerance for pain too. Great.

I tried again and again, taking a few more steps each time and falling. Darn it. Wasn't Sakura supposed to be good at this?! I sighed and slumped on the ground. Maybe this ninja thing wouldn't work out after all. I sighed in frustration, circling chakra around my feet and continuing to try. Why. Won't. This. Work?!

In one last attempt, I sprinted up the tree and channeled everything I had into it - blowing the innocent tree to bits. Oops. I bit back a curse. Guess this just wasn't my day.

Finally settling on a jog around Konoha, I soon started breaking out in sweat. Come _on_. A drop slid passed my forehead and into my eye. Ignoring it, I drew myself up and picked up my pace. Focus. Focus. Foc-

"How youthful!"

"Yes indeed Sensei!"

I looked to my side curiously and was met with two blindingly bright smiles. Might Guy and Rock Lee. The famous duo. I managed a half-smile, my breathing ragged.

"Youthful Flower! Are you also on a mission to grow stronger?"

"Yes...but..." I swallowed down my embarrassment, "I'm actually very weak right now. T-though I trust that would soon change." My eyes gradually hardened in determination. That's right. I had a goal. Despite both Sasuke and Naruto being loads ahead of me, I wouldn't let them keep on leaving me in the dust. One day, we were going to stand as equals. I'll be _damned_ if I let the world remember me as the weak fan girl on the legendary Team 7. Though I was just as much use as a wet kitten right now...

Guy suddenly had a strange gleam in his eyes, "What is your name?"

"Sakura." I replied, smiling a little.

"Ah, a fitting name for a youthful flower such as yourself! How would you like to join us on our quest?"

"YOSH! Sakura-chan will be a great addition to our nightly training!" Lee exclaimed, a light blush dusting his cheeks.

I gaped. Was that- Was that an invitation to join them? "I... I would be honored to!"

"Great! Let us stretch before running ten laps around Konoha as warm up!" I grinned widely. Guy and Lee were willing to go this far for someone they barely knew... It was touching. Ninja usually horded their techniques and safe guarded them as if their lives depended on it. Guy and Lee though, they were kind people who had their arms open to anyone who was willing to put in the effort. I would not let them down...even if I knew that they were severely holding back. Ten laps? They usually ran hundreds, whereas I could barely run two.

0o0o0

My lungs burned like it was lit on fire. With every step I took, it seemed as if I took five breaths afterwards to compensate. It was excruciatingly painful, though I didn't complain. There would be _no_ stopping. This was a sort of wills test that I refused to fail. Whether I crawled or dragged myself, I would finish. That was something I drilled in my mind as _fact_.

Guy and Lee, on the other hand, barely seemed winded. They continued in a joyous haze, as if they were only taking a slow stroll to enjoy the scenery around them. The words 'youth' and 'youthful' were occasionally tossed in their loud conversation, but I only listened with half an ear. We were on our last lap, and I was too exhausted to care. The whole time, I was alternating between slowly jogging and sprinting, due to Guy's yelled encouragement.

Gasp. Huff. Huff. I powered chakra in my tired legs for a last minute boost to catch up to the energetic duo. They were nice enough to slow down considerably from their actual pace, I could tell. Giving them a barely-there wave, I persisted onward, finally collapsing on the moist grass after finishing.

Lying there, I gasped like a fish out of water, trying to accumulate as much oxygen as I possibly could. Lee eventually pulled me up, saying how it wasn't good to rest immediately afterwards. I gave him a wobbly smile in reply, sweat dripping down my forehead and clinging to my body. Quite frankly, I already looked like a horrible mess, despite this only being 'warm up'.

"Good job Sakura-chan!"

"Such youthful spirit!" Guy praised, "Though this is nothing yet! Onwards to our next part of training!" I nodded wearily, shakily standing up.

All three of us walked to the nearest training ground. Lee went through his usual routine, while Guy and I had a spar to determine my meager abilities.

Breathe in. Breathe out. I soothed my rattled nerves and schooled my features into a calm expression. Wetting my lips, I slid into the standard taijutsu stance. Not missing a beat, Guy also went into his stance and motioned for me to begin. I swallowed nervously, but steeled myself. Don't hesitate. Be precise. The encouraging mantra repeated itself in my head and fanned what little confidence I had.

Utilizing Sakura's plentiful knowledge, I boosted chakra to my legs and ran at him, bursting off the ground. My eyes zeroed in on his head while I formed a text book(thought fairly weak) flying kick. Seconds before connecting, a green blur suddenly shot out and grabbed my foot, tossing me lightly to the ground. Landing with a small thud, the air was temporarily knocked out of me. Wha...?

Instincts and body memory took over as I quickly flipped onto my feet, despite being out of it. This was _not_ good. Eyes narrowed in concentration, I lashed out at his jaw in a feint then dropped down into a slight crouch. Please _please_ work.

Boosting chakra in my legs once more, I shifted all my weight to the side and tried to sweep his feet out from under him. I hit thin air. Jumping swiftly, he had avoided the sweep and instead sent a well aimed kick to my side. As odds would have it, luck was on my side as I narrowly missed it. Already heavily breathing, I considered my options. The spar was close to being over. Logically, I knew that I couldn't possibly land a hit, but part of me didn't want to believe it.

Snap out of it.

I coated my arms with chakra and took off, rushing to meet Guy's solar plexus while sloppily blocking his controlled punches. With a quick snap of his arm that I could barely register, he immediately brought me to the ground, successfully ending the fight.

"Haa. Haa." I slowly staggered on my knees before talking the offered hand in front of my face. Pulling me up, Guy gave me a blinding grin and patted my back.

"Are you okay Sakura?"

"I-i'm fine. Just a little dazed is all." I shook off the dirt covering clothes.

"Sakura," he began "you definitely did well in certain aspects. Especially in flexibility. Though regarding strength, you still have a long ways to go. There were lots of opening that I could see..." Guy started naming a few times where I left my guard open and introduced strength exercises that I could do on my own. He also recommended doing as many laps as I could and to keep on increasing the amount of laps each time I got better.

After listing most of the strength and endurance techniques he knew, Guy started commenting on my basic form. He gently put how I tended to be a bit sloppy when I was on the defensive, and the how my base wasn't exactly stable. Immediately after the small taijutsu lesson, Guy went over to Lee and told me to run through the academy exercises. I complied easily and diligently performed the motions.

0o0o0

Feeling beat but accomplished, I bowed to Guy in a show of respect and took my leave. My legs had felt like noodles by this point, and I knew I would have to take a long soak to get rid of any lingering fatigue. Hmm, a mineral soak would be good according to what Lee had said... I'd better check what I had at home. Mebuki would have been bound to have some, right?

I headed home with a bounce in my step and a tune on my lips, thoughts of the bell test completely slipping my mind.

0o0o0

Well, turns out my flight back home was actually a few days later than I had originally thought. I wished I'd been back during the weekend to post, but that didn't happen. Sorry guys. Anyhow! I got the chapter out as soon as I could. Many thanks for your ongoing support!

Going back to the story, we see that Guy and Lee make their appearance. I'll try to make the fight scenes and training routines realistic, but seeing how I've never written them before... It might be inaccurate and choppy. So please tell me if they are.

Reviews would really make my day!


	5. Chapter Four

'...' - Eliza talking to Inner Sakura.

 **... -** Inner Sakura speaking. **  
**

Bell Test: Part I

I sat at the checker-clothed table, leisurely buttering my toast and pouring out a cup of milk. This morning sure was an eventful one.

Abruptly realizing that today was the bell test, I had clumsily tried to get out of bed and succeeded in landing painfully on my side. It was only when I noticed how early it was that I crawled back into the warm covers. But by then, I was fully awoken and couldn't(by all means)go back to sleep.

So, without further ado, I began to start my morning routine with as much motivation as a sloth.

With each buttery bite, I thought about the bell test and felt a slight discouragement. Trying to get the two polar opposites to work together seemed like such a huge stretch - fan fictions made it sound easy, but it really isn't.

Come _on_ , the protagonist is either highly capable and intelligent, outrageously kind, unbelievably sassy, notoriously scary, or has some kind of Therapy No Jutsu like Naruto. Everything that I am not.

The only rational(easier)option was to keep things canon, and not go genius!OC for everything. Hmm, maybe that grueling night with Guy and Lee actually knocked my real capabilities into my head quite hard. There was really no way I could actually come close to even touch a hair on Kakashi's head, let alone some bells!

Well, I'll try to keep everything the same... Except for that _one_ part. You know? That part when our lovable duck apparently bleeds to death, and Sakura faints?

Serious shit never even happened! ...Inner is such a bad influence.

 **Don't be such a pansy. Sakura turned out fine, didn't she?**

Not. 'You call her fainting at the littlest of things, _fine_? You call her forming creepy stalker habits, _fine_? You call her not being able to  not give two fucks about her hair, _fine_?!'

 **Ah, well, maybe she's just a little more emotional that the average person. And stalker habits? Pshaw, nothing of the sort. It's just noticing the person you like in a bit more detail. Giving two fucks about one's hair? Perfectly natural. A girl likes to look her best, right? Unlike** ** _you_** **of course, if you can even be called one. Such a slob.**

'Really, Inner? Are you even listening to yourself right now? And it's not called being a slob! It's called liking yourself for who you are. Superficial things aren't at the top of my to-do list if you haven't noticed.'

 **That's called being lazy! You've been out for** ** _one_** **day, and your hair's already a terrible mess. It looks like you dunked your head in water and slathered it in dirt.**

'Then I'll... I'll cut it.'

 **Don't you** ** _dare_** **.**

'Try me.' I edged closer to the utensils.

 **Fiiine. You fucking win, okay? God, you are such a sly little bitch. I've been with you for what? Two days.**

'I try.' My drowsiness slowly cleared up as a smirk curled up from the corner of my lips. Mornings weren't usually time for my best behavior - or so I've been told. I quickly finished off my toast in a few neat bites and gulped down the rest of my milk.

Halfway into opening the front door, I quickly went back and grabbed some of the cold onigiri that Mebuki had so thoughtfully set aside. Naruto and Sasuke are probably starving their butts of out there.

The stupid nice part of myself probably wouldn't stop pestering me if I -despite my background knowledge- left them alone. How troublesome. I sighed in defeat and walked out the door, rice balls in hand.

With a slight sluggishness to my step, I began to jog to the training grounds. Ow. Ow. Ow. It was surprising how sore I still was. Even with a good mineral soak and a(somewhat crappy)self massage, the soreness still remained - in quite a fair amount too!

I really wonder how much use I am in this state... Yeah... Let's not think about that.

Rounding the corner to the designated training ground, I spotted Sasuke standing and Naruto plopped on the ground looking drowsy. The two both looked a little more ruffled than usual. With Sasuke's face looking more constipated and Naruto yawning hugely every few seconds. The tired blonde quickly turned energetic as he noticed my arrival.

"Sakura-chan! You're late! How come?!" Naruto's booming voice would have reached me from miles away.

"Aa. I..." Time to pull a Kakashi for the heck of it. "I saw a black cat cross my path... so I had to take the long way." I smiled, complete with his signature eye crinkle.

Naruto visibly sweat dropped, "Sakura-chan..."

"Hn." Sasuke responded, aiming a scalding glare my way. Meep. Pulling out the cold onigiri, I tossed one to Naruto and one to Sasuke...whether I liked it or not. He caught it out of reflex.

"Eh?! Sakura-chan, we're not supposed to eat or we'll throw up!" Naruto exclaimed.

I eyed him, "Then how do you suppose you'll summon up any energy for the survival training? You'll be hungry and vulnerable. That alone will ultimately lead you to fail. Now _eat_."

Naruto mulled over it my himself for a few seconds before agreeing. "Alright! If I don't eat, I won't have any energy!" He unwrapped the onigiri and practically inhaled the whole thing. Sasuke though, needed a lot more convincing. The onigiri remained untouched in his hands, and he remained motionless. I sighed and marched over to him.

"Look, I want to pass this test. And if you don't eat, frankly, you'll drag _us_ down." Bingo. Immediately, his glare turned up and he began eating. Ah, the famed Uchiha pride. His growling stomach probably helped too.

0o0o0

A subtle rustle came from a distance away, near a tree. A rustle that only highly trained jonin would be able to hear. It was nothing that newly genin could possibly notice.

Gravity-defying hair peaked out from under the tall trees as a single eye focused with a startling intensity on the trio before him. Images blurred and meshed together until it was replaced by another one. One of his team.

They were- Why were they so much like the original Team 7? Was God trying to torture him because of that one mistake?

Naruto, him being there was almost too much to bear. Every action that he made reminded him of Obito. His energetic presence clearly belonged to no other. And Sasuke, so much like himself - a prodigy. Always standing alone. Sakura... Well, she was just strange. Nothing like his files had originally depicted. He thought she was simply someone weak.

Or, to put it bluntly, dead weight.

Instead, he felt like she had a bit of... Rin. The way her eyes would light up with concern over her fellow teammates... The way she would try to help everyone however hard it may seem. Although... Her 'clever' manipulation with the Uchiha was certainly noticed. Very unlike Rin. He took note of her drastic change to look into later.

A frown slowly worked it's way to the corner of his lips. The way Rin died, he could never forgive himself.

How could the Hokage assign him a team that was the spitting image of his old one? The only thing he could do was mess it up like the last time and get them all killed in the end. But, he sighed internally, he was the Hokage. And no one defied the Hokage.

Don't think he himself didn't have a plan though. No, of course he did. This team... would _never_ end up like his did. Not if he could help it.

0o0o0

Moments later, Kakashi seemingly popped out of nowhere with his usual eye-crinkle and lame excuse.

"You're late!" Naruto practically yelled at him.

"Good morning to you too." Kakashi said pleasantly. Naruto practically radiated annoyance. It even showed in his expression. Sasuke, on the other hand was similarly disgruntled. Although it was kind of hard to tell... I mean, all I saw was this teeny little facial twitch. Nothing that really showed anything you know?

Moving on. Blabbity blah. Kakashi explains the dreaded bell test.(And I secretly want to pee my pants.) Naruto -stupidly- charges forward, Kakashi has his moment, and BAM everything spins into motion. Too fast for my liking. Too fast for me to prepare. I'm- I'm just not ready! I panic.

 _Badumpbadumpbadump._ My heart is thudding at what seems like a hundred times per minute against my chest. I'm feeling lightheaded and overwhelmed at the same time, in a state of light shock. Of disbelief.

I've given in to an internal manic laughter right now. And if you haven't guessed already, reality has yet to slap me across the face.

 **Get your game face on! What are you doing standing there like a dumb fuck?**

'Well. ...thanks Inner, I guess...' It seems like it just happened. I hear Inner raging about how stupid and idiotic I am in the background and I immediately clear my head. With my sensible self kicking in, I rush for cover.

Currently, Naruto is charging at Kakashi and yelling at the top of his lungs. Not the best of ideas, but- Hey, it was Naruto we're talking about. Our favorite on-screen knuckle-head ninja.

Ah, the joy I'm feeling right now. It's completely different when he's actually your teammate, I assure you.

 **At least you're salvageable. Keep your eyes peeled. Watch out for that** ** _hot_** **gray-haired mother fucker.**

'Eh. So foul-mouthed today? And stop...whatever you're doing. It's contaminating my mind and soul.'

 **Courtesy to you, honey. And I do what I want.**

Somehow, I mange to brush off Inner's chilling killer intent. And to think that's not the full extent of what she could do.

Crouching beneath a bush, I hold out a single kunai and take a second to wonder what the hell I'm supposed to do. I can't just sit there. Maybe I'll just launch kunai. But chances are, it will suck ass and fall to the ground before it could even land near him. Well, let's just wait until Naruto gets his-

Ah, there it is. The famous poke.

For a split second, all of his features freeze up as if he couldn't believe this was actually happening. Then, they contort into one of horror as he realizes his reality and goes flying into the air. For once, I don't laugh at the scene like I usually do. Instead, a shudder runs down my back.

I watch intently as the determined blonde, sopping wet, climb up the river bank and launch himself at Kakashi once again. Shadow clones come flying along with him, but his attempt at rushing the jonin failed because of a last minute switch out. In the end, Naruto found himself dangling by the end of a rope.

At this, I find myself smothering a laugh. It looks so much more ridiculous in real life.

Sasuke takes this time to 'shine'. He launches his attack, and Kakashi poofs out of existence, which I'm not that all surprised about. We all know what happens afterward, right? Sasuke gets his ass handed to him would be a sufficient enough summary.

At this, I start freaking out. Everyone has been beaten, and now there's only me left. Hiding in the bushes isn't going to fool anyone, and I know that. But I create a lame trap anyways. Kakashi chose this moment to conveniently poof back into existence. Let's just hope I can pull off the dispelling jutsu.

My eyes go wide I see the blur of his hand signs and the scene bleeding away into another one. Except, this wasn't the same one as before. No pleading Sasuke. No forest background.

I see my old family standing on a field of flowers, welcoming me, smiling at me. I cry out in surprise and run towards them. Except... It feels like I'm wading through molasses. No matter how much I move my legs, I just didn't seem to go any where. It's frustrating, and I notice the scene slowly chipping.

Tears suddenly slide down their beautiful faces, and I realize that they're in pain. I-i have to help them! My legs move harder than ever, but I don't move an inch and the scene continues to chip away. Finally, the image cracks and shatters like a rock smashing into a mirror. I scream and scream and scream.

Too late. I'm too late. There's no way to get them back. Nonono. _No_.

Crimson blood soaks through the cracks of the shattered image and I start to cry. I don't know why, but if feels like it's their own. There's no proof. Nothing. But there's that unshakable feeling that makes me cry even harder. The blood rises higher and higher, suffocating my lungs with it's strong iron smell.

It goes past my knees.

Past my stomach.

Nearing my chin.

The thick liquid is uncomfortable and disgustingly warm. I choke. Blood fills my lungs. Spots fill my vision.

 **WAKE UP!**

My eyes flicker open, and I _understand_. My fingers tangle sloppily into a hand sign. KAI! Everything melts away in no less than a second. Muted colors and fragments of shattered pictures swirl for a while before it seems like I'm tossed back to where I was. A choking fit comes over me for a while before air surges into my lungs like a wave.

I didn't realize that I've been holding my breath.

Getting up from the ground, I teeter on my feet before regaining my balance and rushing off to find Sasuke. A tuft of black hair peak out near a tree, and I know I've got him. I bound to him in a burst of speed and clamp a hand on his shoulder before he even tries to get away.

"Hey." I greeted.

He frowns out me and practically hisses out, "What do you _want_?"

"Well, it'd be nice if we could work together."

Sasuke smirked, "Who's the dead weight now?" I think back to what I've told him before for the sake of getting him to eat. He's still mad about that? I decide to just roll with it. Pride was definitely not something I needed now.

"Well, pretty much. What can you do?" I gave him a sheepish grin. "Now, can we work together? They say two heads are better than one."

A flash of shock crosses his face, "No." His face turns blank.

I give him a flat look, "Okay, let me convince you then. The sole purpose of this test is teamwork. I'm pretty sure that if we don't work together, we'll fail before the test even ends. It's not about judging your skills, really. You can't possibly hope to defeat a jonin could you?"

I hold up a hand when he looks as if to argue. "Yes, I know that you're at the top of the class and good at what you do. I acknowledge that. But we're only genin. Genin cannot beat jonin. That's just not logically possible no matter how we look at it. Even though you think that you are clearly superior than us, I do hope you try. Else we all fail. And it will be all your fault huh? How I would love to rub it in your face then. Up to you."

He glares at me for a minute straight then answers quietly, "Fine."

I smile, "Wasn't that easy?" He turns away. Phew, I thought I was a goner.

"Now then, I don't suppose you have some sort of _plan_ do you?"

"Hehe, I was kinda hoping to leave that to-" He spins back around with yet another cold glare. "Kidding, kidding. Well, let's see. Naruto would have to be in it too. Know where he is?"

"Find out yourself." he says, already taking out several kunai and shuriken. I sigh and begin slinking in the shadows to find Naruto. After finding him dangling by the end of the rope and muttering curses, I cut the rope neatly with a kunai. He lands with a thud that I automatically wince at.

"Sorry." I apologized.

"Ehehe. It's okay Sakura-chan!" He smiles and rubs his head. I give his shoulder a few pats. Then continue to tell Naruto about the plan. He grumbles at when I tell that Sasuke is also in, but otherwise doesn't complain much. What a good boy.

0o0o0

I apologize if there are any extremely noticeable mistakes - I edited this in a hurry. T^T I really was going to surprise you guys and double update, but something came up last minute. Seeing as school is coming up, I don't think my updating will be as smooth(if it really ever was)as the first few days. The bell test was cut in half because my brain refused to crank out any more ideas, if any of you were curious.

To **oranmflare** : Eliza is finally showing some sass or 'bitchiness'! ;) I made sure to add a little something for you.


	6. Chapter Five

'...' - Eliza talking to Inner Sakura.

 **... -** Inner Sakura speaking. **  
**

 _Heads up: many, many P.O.V. shifts._

Bell Test: Part II

The clearing is silent as can be. A lone man stands in the center, seemingly relaxed, though the way his single eye occasionally flickers says otherwise.

This was unlike the team, Kakashi thought. He had expected them to launch one attack after another, not for them to be so still. Something... was up. Hmm, they were really starting to gain his respect.

"I'm going to get you now!" shouts a blonde. Ah, he was wondering when they would start again.

Naruto's shadow clones come flying at him, except in way that was strangely organized. How perturbing. While dodging the blonde's slopping kicks and punches, he loses himself in his thoughts. Who was the cause of this change? He would expect either Sakura or Sasuke to take the lead, but that didn't feel quite- He was interrupted out of his musings by a hand diving down to firmly grab his leg.

Not bad...but not good enough either.

As he substituted for a log a distance away, he felt yet another hand pin him down. It seems as if he had underestimated the loud-mouthed boy after all. Looking down, he saw a clone. Just as he suspected.

What he didn't expect was a multitude of wires looping around his legs, making it almost impossible to move. Keyword: almost. Within a few seconds, he had maneuvered his way out and prepared to pop the clone. Though he was secretly impressed. Who knew the boy could be so crafty?

He was surprised once again by someone else coming to the rescue; Sasuke, to be exact. That was...odd, he supposed. Who would expect the prideful brat to save his 'rival'? A kunai came too near the bells for his liking, so he quickly shifted his leg. A muttered curse came immediately afterwards.

He jabbed the Uchiha swiftly in the stomach, succeeding in knocking the air out of him. Oh? It seems like he has very high pain tolerance. A smirk curled up behind his mask. Potential.

But while he was fighting the dark-haired boy, the masked man failed to notice the countless sneakily thrown stink-bombs in his direction. Pungent fumes immediately spread into the air after the three second countdown and fanned around him like a cage.

With his keen sense of smell, he was cringing and using every ounce of his will power to not cover his nose. His eyes turned glassy as the fumes continued to grow more and more strong.

This was not going to bode well.

0o0o0

I stifled a laugh. Naruto was a little genius in disguise! At first, I had been skeptical of his stink-bombs, but Kakashi's highly-developed sense of smell had suddenly popped up.(thanks to Inner's secret 'hot guy portfolio') So I had agreed to use them, shooting one of my personal burning glares to stop any further comments from a scowling Sasuke.

And it had worked. The stinky fumes had muddled his senses and caused an opening, just as we expected.

I was currently creeping up to the bells, kunai in hand. Just a little more... A little more... One second there wasn't any pressure, and another it was there. A hand had my wrist gripped roughly the same moment I managed to slash a bell.

Shit. Luckily, Naruto was the one to bail me out. Without his usual bravado, he aimed a packed punch to Kakashi's side.

With a slight irritation shown in his single visible eye, he was forced to let go of my arm to block the incoming punch. Taking advantage of the momentary release, I quickly stuffed the bell into one of my numerous pockets and formed the hand signs for the substitution jutsu.

In a blink of an eye, I slumped down behind a fairly large tree, watching as my teammates battled it out and eventually retreat.

Briiing. Briiiinginging! The alarm clock sounded, bringing the arduous bell test to an end. I bit my cheek to keep from outright beaming. We did it! I mean, it's only one bell, but I honestly didn't expect to get this far. Canon Sakura did nothing to contribute to the test, but I-i actually managed to do something. Make a change for once.

It seems... It seems as if I can actually fix things for the better. Though it just might be my wishful thinking. One step at a time right?

We all crowded around a ruffled Kakashi, each radiating a happy aura. Or should I say just two. By now, you should all know who the odd one out was. _Say_ it. Come on, louder. Sasuke? Did I hear right? Sasuke. You sure? Absolutely sure? ...aaaand we have a winner!

For crying out loud, that boy certainly had emotional baggage to last him several lifetimes. It wasn't surprising. But don't worry, we'll have him open up. Somehow.

"Time's up." I looked at him excitedly. "You all _fail_ , except for Sakura." My heart twisted in confusion.

"No we don't." I cut it.

His shoulders went rigged, "And why is that, Sakura?"

"The answer to this test is teamwork. We all worked together to acquire this single bell, so therefore we should all pass." my tone was filled with confidence, though doubt was slowly worming it's way to my head. Why wasn't this going like canon? What exactly happened here...?

"Well, I suppose I could-" he started pleasantly. Then, "What? Did you think I would let you off the hook? You. Fail. In fact, you all fail. Sakura, it seems as if you have misunderstood the goal of this test. The goal is to complete the objective that I have given to you." His eye darkened a shade as he stared me down. "By not completing the objective, you fail. Simple as that."

What in God's name-! This shouldn't even be _possible_.

Was it... Realization dawned. Was it because of my existence? I paled and felt my skin turn clammy. It is. It has to be. Oh no. Nono _no_. I should have known. I should have _known_. The butterfly effect. How could it have slipped my mind?

Me being here was in no way natural. One thing led to another, and here I am, listening to my plans slowly crumble to the ground.

I really should be feeling sad right now.

And I really should be accepting the fact that I'd failed.

I mean, back in my old life, it was what I'd usually done. But now, the stakes are so much higher. My cheeks began to feel hot, and an ugly feeling bubbled up from inside of me.

It was an explosive anger. Uncontrolled. Violent. I wanted to hurt something... _so_ bad.

 ** _H_** _O_ _ **W**_ _ **D**_ _A_ _ **R**_ _E_ _ **H**_ _E?_

0o0o0

An unsettling cloud fell over the group, casting an impenetrable shadow.

Naruto's eyes widened as a onslaught of negative energy rolled on him like a massive wave. He shuddered and turned to the pinkette beside him, wondering if she had felt the same. Instead, he noticed that her usually bright and expressive eyes were dark with barely suppressed anger. Her fists were clenching a fist full of her shirt, knuckles colored an awful white.

That was when it finally occurred to him that it was his female teammate that was the cause of his discomfort. He felt his stomach lurch slightly. Cute and pretty Sakura-chan. Those eyes didn't belong on her face. It just wasn't _right_.

This wasn't the usual Sakura-chan. He could tell that something had changed within her, almost completely erasing the ease he had felt while with her only moments ago. The unfocused waves of rage were not aimed at him, but he couldn't help but feel... feel scared.

This was a side of Sakura-chan that he had never seen before after all. But however unsettled, he would still be her friend. People avoided him like the plague because of the nine-tails in his body, so he wouldn't treat her like others had treated him. No, he swore that he would stand by his friends.

Because that's what you do right?

0o0o0

The normally ridged boy tensed further as he noticed his blond teammate shift uncomfortably to the side. So he wasn't the only one who noticed the less than subtle killing intent moving through the air, huh. Sasuke's eyes flickered to the only other female in the team.

...

She- Her eyes were so similar to his. It was... astonishing. How could a such a sheltered civilian muster up so much hate in one look? Her killing intent was changing right before his eyes; becoming focused, then unfocused. At one point, he nearly choked.

Sure, he had been angered by his failure. With a kunai gripped in his hand, he was prepared to stab the infuriating man. It was only until he felt the enormous pressure slowly building up that he had froze in place.

His anger, he promptly realized, was weak compared to the intense emotions coming from the pink-haired girl. He honestly never thought that he would have any level of respect for the girl, but now, he did. She had thoroughly surprised him.

" _You_..." her voice was soft, but laced with venom. She lifted her head and let her bangs fall out of her face, " **H** o **w** **_D_** _A_ _ **R**_ _E_ **y** o **u** **s** p **e** a **k** **t** h **o** s **e** **w** o **r** d **s** t **o** m **y** f **a** c **e**? **Y** o **u** **d** i **m** w **i** t **t** e **d** **c** o **w** a **r** d!" Blotches of red colored her cheeks as her nose flared aggressively. "We all know what happened before!"

Here, he wanted to interject. What exactly happened?

"But that doesn't mean you can _fail_ us and be gone with it. Do you-" she stopped. Tears were streaking down her face, and she struggled to blink them away. Shinobi don't show emotions, that was a firm rule. In shock, she lifted her fingers to her face, touching the salty liquid.

Which resulted in her crying further, though she didn't make a sound. Her voice toned down a notch, sounding raspy, "Do you really think that there are any other jonin that could do better than you? Kakashi of the freakin' Sharingan? Honestly, we practically have a target drawn on our backs."

Her eyes flickered to me, "The last of the Uchiha clan-" She paused, then she glanced to _Naruto_ of all people. What could was so special about the dobe? His eyes slowly filled with dread and realization. She continued, "as you know. So what makes you think that after failing us, we won't get shipped off to a weaker jonin sensei? You're basically pushing us down a cliff to _die_!" she shrieked.

"That's _enough_." Kakashi thundered. She clamped her mouth shut, eyes still blazing and lips pursed. Then his voiced cracked, "You think you actually understand what I'm going through?"

He laughed, the usually happy sound filled with pain. "All high and mighty, I don't think a little girl like you would _know_. After all, aren't you just happily playing ninja with your little friends? You don't know the first thing about killing a person. You don't know how if feels to wake up in the middle of the night, drowning in the blood of your enemies. You don't know anything!"

She jerked back as if she's been stabbed. Hurt radiated from her in waves, the killer intent almost snapped completely. He wanted to call her pathetic, he really did. But... even he wasn't that cruel.

0o0o0

How could he... what- My unrelenting tears had stopped.

 **Eliza... You okay?**

'Yeah, just shaken up. I just didn't expect all this, is all.'

 **You're not the only one.**

I gave a hollow laugh. Was it all over for me? He's right, I'm just a weak little girl. How much use could I ever be? Whoever that chose me, chose wrong. I couldn't do anything. I had tried, yes. But I still couldn't do anything.

 **Eliza! You can't think like that. Don't give up! You haven't failed quite yet.**

Peaceful thoughts were slowly being pushed into my mind, soothing my hurt. I closed my eyes for a second, savoring the calm. Inner began to almost physically pull me and the surprising thing was, I let her. When I opened them again, I was in my mindscape. At least, I thought it was. Inner was the split image of me, except white against black, smiling toothily at me.

 **Hey there Eliza!**

I blinked owlishly. 'Wow.'

 **I know. But here, let me show you something.**

She grabbed my wrist and began pulling me to a mirror on the ground. Her fingers dipped into the mirror, and I realized that it was actually a pool - an extremely clear one at that.

 **Look closely.**

Words floated up the pool in quick succession. Sadness. Loneliness. Regret. Disappointment. Self-hatred. Guilt. Each words slithered around my wrists like a snake and absorbed inside my skin. I let out a gasp.

 **Do you know whose those belonged to?**

'K-kakashi? I didn't know he- He was carrying those burdens for all these years?' I slumped to my knees.

 **Yep. And I bet you saying all those things didn't help either.**

I held my face in my hands. I'msorryI'msorryI'msorry. I wailed in misery. How could I? I was no better than a _monster_.

 **There, there. As long as you make up for your mistakes, it'll be fine.**

0o0o0

Had he- Could he have went too far? When he saw the girl's eyes dull and glaze over, he knew something was wrong. The minute she hit the ground was the moment he began to panic.

"Sakura-chan?!" The blonde rushed to the fallen girl shook her roughly, yelling her name. Her other teammate widened his eyes a fraction before reaching her just as quickly. He felt his heart drop. Great, not even a mission and he had already screwed up.

Within a blink of an eye, he was at her side. He worriedly checked her pulse. Slow, but still relatively normal. So what was wrong?

"Hn, dobe. Stop fussing. Take her to a medic." the boy's voice lightened a note at the end.

"Teme-! Wait. Sakura's hands are twitching!"

Said girl mumbled softly, "...sorry... I'm sorry... I'm sorry." Her green eyes opened and cleared, tears swimming in them. Taking sight of him, she bolted upwards and pulled him into a hug. It took all of his will not to just snap her neck out of reflex. The two of her other teammates stiffened and shot each other incredulous looks.

"Kakashi, I'm s-sorry. I'm sorry for saying such horrible things to you. You've been through so much and I- You're right. I may be naive, but that doesn't mean I- _we_ can't learn. With you as our sensei... I bet you can take our abilities to a whole new height. Don't you think you owe us at least that? Kakashi... we _need_ you." she looked up at him pleadingly.

He felt his heart crumble. Even if her words felt like they came out of the middle of nowhere, it felt... it felt nice to finally be somewhat understood. No one had _really_ knew what he was going through. They all assumed that scars would fade over time and that after a good couple of years, he would suddenly be alright again. Perfectly intact.

Well, they were wrong.

Scars will _always_ remain with you. They will be there at the worst of times to remind you of your painful past. They will be there when you're completely alone, forcing you down sake from the bucketful to forget. Everyone thought that he was just being stubborn; that he didn't want to let go. But in truth, he really did.

There was just never an opportunity for him to do so.

His eyes crinkled. It seemed as if her words had impacted him in more ways than one. He felt a low rumble of laughter vibrate within his throat. To think that a little girl would be the one to open his eyes. And yet, he was grateful.

Maybe... Just maybe he would be able to keep them safe this one time. If Rin was up there she wouldn't have approved of how he was acting. Obito too.

He would take this opportunity.

"...that's Kakashi- _sensei_ to you." He saw her grateful look before finally leaving. Yes, they would approve.

0o0o0

He was suddenly gone, just like that. Poof. I let out a somewhat unhinged laugh.

...then fainted immediately afterwards.

" _SAKURA_!"

0o0o0

Whew. You guys have no idea how hard it was to write this chapter. I had brain farts nearly every single minute, guwaah. I hope I didn't butcher every character. So please tell me if they seem too OOC. Or if anything was just screaming 'unrealistic'. Just curious, but how old do you think Eliza really is?

Reviews would really make my day! ...pretty please?


	7. Chapter Six

'...' - Eliza talking to Inner Sakura.

 **... -** Inner Sakura speaking. **  
**

 **Omake** :

 _In which..._

 _Naruto and Sasuke finally has a bonding moment._

 _Kakashi learns that dango is not to be messed with._

 _And Sakura finds herself something new to worship._

 _Basically, you know not to take this seriously._

 **Warning** : a pissed-off Sakura, and multiple POV shifts.

Sakura woke up a little later than she usually did, belly growling and craving something sweet. She brushed that thought aside as she pulled her long tresses into a high pony tail, twisting it into a bun. There was simply no time for ridiculous splurges. She was a ninja now, and that meant total concentration on her goal. Sakura gave a confident smile to herself in the mirror and bounded down the stairs.

0o0o0

Naruto scratched his head, walking out the door and closing it. Whistling merrily, he ran forwards and knocked into a pole. Oops. He hoped that no one saw him. Then they'd bad mouth him even more. He hated that.

Naruto quickly scrambled upwards, nearly tripping over his feet. No time to waste, he thought determinedly. Sakura-chan is probably waiting for him already! And teme too... He wondered what prank he should do to get back at him. Naruto gave a whooping laugh as he sprinted to the meeting spot, ideas whirling around his head.

0o0o0

 _Achoo_. Sasuke covered his sudden sneeze. He blew his nose and sent a glower at a forgotten can near the trash. Did someone just mention him?

0o0o0

Sakura arrived after Sasuke, belly hardly full. The stale, dingy food bar had done nothing to help her feel any better. Which resulted in her feeling quite crabby, despite how refreshing the morning air was. She sat down, clutching her rumbling belly and slid her forehead protector down like a sleep mask.

It was early.

It was warm.

And she was tired. Sakura felt like she deserved some sleep, so sleep she did.

0o0o0

Naruto arrived soon afterwards, finding Sakura fast asleep and Sasuke coolly leaning on a tree. Naruto secretly felt indignant inside. Who does he think he is? Leaning on a tree... thinking he looks so cool... Immediately afterwards, he scolds himself for even letting those thoughts cross his head.

The teme was definitely not cool. At all. Nope, nope, nope. Naruto walked over and plopped down beside Sakura, who was snoring softly. She giggled disturbingly, a line of drool slipping past her mouth. Naruto felt his body start to instinctively move away, but he forced himself to say where he was. Sakura was his friend. So he shouldn't be acting this way.

That's right. No matter how... creepy. Or terrifying. Or unsett-

"Naruto?" He turned and saw Sakura rubbing her eyes sluggishly, pushing herself up from her awkward positioning.

"Y-yeah?" he stuttered, cringing at his mishap.

"You look pale. Did something happen?" Her green eyes looked at him expectantly while she adjusted her forehead protector, concern shining through. He automatically felt guilty.

"Nothing, Sakura-chan! I'm fine!" He beamed at her reassuringly. She nodded and slumped back down, accepting his answer. He felt relieved. Soon afterwards, his lazy ass teacher arrived, hand waving lazily. Irritation colored his features.

"Hello my cute little students." The man's eyes gleamed with amusement. Grr. Naruto wanted to punch his annoying face in, teacher or not.

"You're late!" he yelled. What kind of teacher was he? Being late to every meeting. He was obviously not taking them seriously! Naruto would show him someday!

"Maa, a little wait can do you no harm. There was a spider in the bathroom today, so I had to wait till it was gone." Liar, he wanted to scream. Like that could stop a jonin! But he refrained himself. He was a ninja now, and he would have to control his emotions. It was something that Sakura had off-handedly mention to him one day, and he wouldn't forget it.

Next to him, the girl in question didn't seem to be listening at all, eyes trained on something he couldn't see. Sasuke, on the other hand, was looking the other way, as if laying eyes on his teacher was a painful thing to do. Naruto reluctantly dragged his eyes back to the frustration in front of him. Since Sakura-chan wasn't going to be the one paying attention, he would have to do it! Then maybe she would like him even more... Lately, she had been smiling at him a whole lot. He didn't want to lose that.

"Alright, let's go to get our mission scrolls!" Kakashi exclaimed cheerfully, as if it were the most exciting thing to do in the world. He groaned. D-ranked missions... again? Urgh! He was so sick of them! Everyday, he had tried to do them as fast as he could to the best of his ability; but he always ended up being scolded! He was only trying to _help_.

0o0o0

They all moved like at a sloth's pace to the Hokage's office. Everyone seemed to be devoid of energy, even the usually cheerful Naruto himself. Sakura dutifully held open the door to the Hokage's office while everyone slouched in. She muttered darkly to herself before closing the door shut.

"...cleaning Ojima-san's backyard, painting Takeda-san's kitchen, or shop keeping at the local dango store near here?" the Hokage rasped. Sakura perked up almost immediately at the mention of dango, and an audible gurgle came from her stomach in agreement. The boys didn't notice.

"Shop keeping at the local dango store, please?" she begged, giving puppy eyes at everyone in the room. Sasuke grunted, Naruto bobbed his head, and Kakashi crinkled his eyes. It was decided. The dango shop it is.

0o0o0

"600 yen please." Sakura yawned as she counted the money. "Thank you very much." She handed the customer the stick of dango and longed for the chance to have her own piece of delicious goodness. The owner had promised that they could have as much dango as they'd like after the small store closed, so she was constantly looking at the clock and growing impatient.

"Sakura-chan? ...Sakura-chan!" She jerked back to reality.

"What is it Naruto?"

"Your shift is over." he replied, giving a closed-eyed smile.

"Aa. Is that so?" Sakura began to plod towards the kitchens sleepily, rubbing her bleary eyes and stumbling slightly. Finding a wall untouched by any flour, she moved a plastic chair next to it and sat on the smooth surface with an audible thud. Sighing contentedly, she pulled down her forehead protector over her eyes and let sleep overtake her once again.

0o0o0

Naruto tapped his feet against the wooden desk. It didn't seem like anymore customers were coming, so he made a decision and flipped the 'open' sign so it read 'closed'. He wasn't any good at math, so he would let either Sakura-chan or Sasuke calculate the money in sales once he gets back from grocery shopping.

Eh, the teme better do it. Sakura probably wasn't going to wake up anyway.

He stole a glance at the pile of dango that was left over from today's batch. It would hurt... to take just one right? He slid out the stool and curiously opened the wooden cover, plucking a ball of sweet dough from the fragrant pile. Opening his mouth, he dropped the ball in and chewed loudly.

S-so good!(it still couldn't be compared to his ramen though)The gooey dough stuck to his teeth and made him chew more than usual, but he didn't mind. All the flavors were really delicious, making him want more and more! Before he even realized what he was doing, he had reached out take another one, savoring the rich, red bean filling.

He felt guilty, but he couldn't stop. His hands just couldn't resist!

0o0o0

Sasuke shouldered the heavy grocery bag, glaring holes at the dirt ground and angry at his teacher. The least he could do was _help_. Reading those disgusting books of his and loitering at the 18+ store had wasted hours of their time. Originally, he had wanted to get to the dango store early, so he could have some of that tomato-filled dango, but _he_ had ruined it.

The owner had said it was their newest non-sweet product too...

He glared harder, if that was even possible. The dobe's probably stuffing his face at this time. If they didn't get there soon, everything would be gone. He blanched and began to walk faster.

When the shop finally came into his sight, he chakra powered his arms and legs, dropping the bags with a thud in the shop.

Hn, as he suspected, the dobe was stuffing his face. He had luckily made it time before it was all gone. The tomato dango was still untouched. He felt himself relax slightly, straightening up and brushing off invisible dust.

Calmly walking over, he grabbed all of the tomato-filled ones on his washed plate, and quietly retreated to a corner. Kakashi followed suit, setting his book aside and grabbing random dango. Naruto continued stuffing his face.

No one remembered our dear Sakura.

0o0o0

Sakura slid her headband up sluggishly, standing up and stretching. Her bones popped satisfyingly as she made her way towards the counter, where all those lovely dango awaited her. A bright smile was plastered on her face and she felt as if nothing in the world could make her happier. Dango. Dango. Dango. Her stomach growled happily in response.

When she walked out of the door, she only noticed one thing. Her. Dango. Was. _Missing_. A low rumble started from her throat and grew into a full out growl. The three in the room froze. She slammed her fist on the table, and brushes clattered to the floor. Her bangs covered her eyes.

Then she surprised everyone by doing a complete 180. Sakura looked up, schooling her features into a pleasant smile and let her fingers loose.

" _Now_ , who ate all the dango?" Her lips twitched slightly, and they knew that they were doomed. That, and her sickeningly sweet voice.

Naruto took a step back.

Sasuke paled.

And Kakashi hid his face behind a book.

They all pointed to the one another, but the sweet smell cloaking their bodies could lie to no one. She smiled wider, blood-lust clouding her eyes. "You better cough up some **fuckin'** dango, or I'll **shove my hand down your throats** to get that **shit** back. And in Kakashi's case, I think I'll give him **special treatment**. Your lovely books might just be **ashes** under my feet soon."

Kakashi prepared to body flicker away, but his attempts were fruitless. Naruto formed the hand signs to create his shadow clones, but alas, they would also prove unhelpful. And Sasuke's fire jutsu would only succeed in burning the place down at most. They really didn't stand a chance, and Sakura knew it.

Her eyes lit up further.

" **You won't get aw~ay you mother fuckin'** ** _bitches_**." Sakura crossed the room in a split second, pulling out ninja wire and taking various chopsticks with her. Grabbing Kakashi's hands with her monstrous strength, she moved her hands in a blur, connecting the chopsticks and wire into a monstrous device. Finished, she stepped back and admired her handy work.

He would not be escaping any time _soon_. She chuckled.

Sakura then mechanically turned to face Naruto and Sasuke's fearful faces, with Naruto's fear being much more pronounced. Her eyes crinkled.

The Uchiha backed away until his back hit the wall, eyes flickering back to her and his hand signs. She smirked, any shred of pleasantness gone. _Crack. C-crickick, crik. Crack._ Sounds of cracking knuckles filled the room like a death mantra.

Naruto wailed and his clones wailed along with him, running to the door and trying to escape. But Sakura's carefully placed clone suddenly appeared out of the shadows, with the same smirk curling up her lips. "Not so fast boys. You still owe me that fucking dango." A lock materialized out of her hands and she clicked it shut. "You will **never escape~**!"

Sakura's clone tilted it's head creepily and waved goodbye before popping out of existence.

 _Never escape_. _Never escape_. _Never escape_. The words echoed throughout the room, the lights dimming and flickering eerily. Sakura herself raked her nails on the table, clawing impatiently at the wood. "Since you can't seem to produce **any** dango, then I guess it's **time for a little game of tag**! With me being **it** , and you guys being my **targets**!"

That said, she pulled out several startlingly sharp kunai and began to take aim. " **We don't have all day~**!" They all shuddered, and Kakashi began flaring his chakra continously. Thunk. The kunai landed next to Sasuke's ear, cutting a lock of his raven-colored hair. " _Run_." Sakura whispered.

And they ran. Desperately.

0o0o0

The Hokage had sensed Kakashi's chakra flare. Did something happen? Did they get ambushed by rogue ninja? Thousands of situations ran throughout his mind. The team _did_ have the Nine Tails and the last Uchiha after all. He pondered it to himself before calling a few anbu into his office, intending to send them there for extra protection.

"Hokage-sama." the anbu addressed politely and bowed. He nodded.

"Go to the Suzuki Dango Shop... Enemies may be near."

"Understood." they continued on monotonously.

"You are dismissed." The Hokage went back to his paperwork, hearing his anbu leave swiftly. He sighed, everything was so stressful these days.

Why did he take this job again?

0o0o0

"Sakura-chan! Please, no! No!"

"Sakura, I'm warning you. Another-" She ignored them all, blissfully throwing one kunai after another, purposely missing so she could see their panicked faces. Another fire jutsu was sent her way, but she bent into a bridge and dodged it. Sakura threw a pot of tea at the growing fire, successfully distinguishing it, and threw a few senbon so it grazed their cheeks.

" **A** h **a** h **a** h **a** a!" she laughed hysterically, slapping her thighs.

The door rattled, and Sakura stopped laughing. She raised a fine pink eyebrow at the door, a smirk curling up her lips. Heh... The door was soon busted open and anbu spilled out. One had to bite back a laugh at the scene, but with one look from another anbu, shut them up. They had expected an easy win, seeing that she was only a genin.

They were soon proven wrong. It took all of their man power to actually subdue her and knock her out. Sasuke and Naruto slumped to the ground, sweat dripping down their foreheads. Kakashi had his ridiculous contraption taken off and all looked seemingly well. The anbu started to leave.

But then, Sakura's fingers started to twitch. Her eyes moved from under her eyelids and like that, they opened. She stood up, breaking easily the rope binding her hands. Sasuke and Naruto quickly scrambled up with what little weaponry they had left, ready to defend against the monstrous girl.

She muttered darkly, " **You fuckers, I still don't have my dango!** " A wave of killing intent spread across the room until-

"W-what exactly h-happened here?" A petite old lady stammered at the scene. Inner Sakura recognized her as the dango shop owner and promptly burst into tears.

"They ate it aaaallll!"

The old lady widened her eyes and immediately understood, since her brothers had also continuously ate all her dango. She suddenly sympathized with this strange, pink-haired young girl. _Boys_ , always making a girl cry. "There, there." She bravely pushed passed the anbu and patted the crying girl's cheeks. With a flourish, she pulled out her leftover packet of dango and gave it to the sweet little girl who she had so much in common with. Dango was a right any human should have.

And no one should be able to take that away.

Sakura's demeanor shifted, and back was the cute little girl they had known. Her eyes brightened, her fists unclenched, and the demon within her retreated. "T-thank you so much, obaa-san!" She hugged the old lady with happy tears in her eyes, and proceeded to munch happily on her dango. Sweet flavors exploded in her mouth and she sighed in absolute bliss. Sakura guessed that she could forgive the boys after all.

0o0o0

And with that incident, they all learned an important lesson. Women were fucking scary.

...Sakura never did remember what had happened.

THE END.

0o0o0

Haha, I wanted to do an omake to show them doing an _actual_ mission. Then some things happened and it turned into complete crack. Please note that Sakura's powers are greatly exaggerated and that the characters are OOC on purpose. The power boost was courtesy of Inner Sakura. I'll show more of that in later chapters.

This chapter was late I admit, but hey, it was longer!(kinda, still working on that) Later on, I might try the longer chapters and longer wait route. But if I can, I'll try to update as soon as possible. School is such a stress maker... Btw, do you guys like the new cover? I'm quite proud of it!(though I didn't create the picture, just edited it)

Reviews would really make my day! Thank you all you wonderful reviewers! :D


	8. Chapter Seven

'...' - Eliza talking to Inner Sakura.

 **... -** Inner Sakura speaking. **  
**

Wave Mission: Part I

"No more of these lame missions, old man!" Naruto was red in the face, puffing out his cheeks and waving his fist in the air.

"Naruto! You're still an inexperienced ninja! What makes you think-" Iruka yelled. Said boy huffed and cut him off, crossing both of his arms into an x-sign. The argument bounced back and forth between the two of them before the Hokage himself put a stop to their fight. He ended up grudgingly acknowledging Naruto's plea and granting us the long awaited C-ranked mission after an eternity of D-ranked ones.

I felt myself tense.

No matter how loud Naruto's cheers were, I couldn't bring myself to even have one shred of excitement. A shaky breath escaped my lips as I clutched the ends of my shirt. We weren't ready for this. We weren't. We weren't.

I was going to feel my hands coated with blood for the first time.

I was going to hear their last words for the first time.

I was going to see their lives gradually fade away... for the first time.

People will _die_. My body shook with the slightest of tremors, a sheen of sweat coating my nose. No one noticed.

"Ah, there is your client now." I glanced up quickly, stopping myself from further acting like a pathetic coward. No time.

Tazuna staggered in, sake bottle in hand, the pungent liquid dribbling past his mouth into his beard. I felt my eyebrows furrow disapprovingly as I bored holes into the bridge builder's side. It seems as if he noticed it too, because he reflexively pulled his sake bottle closer to him. I wanted so badly to take that poison and fling it out the window.

"What? Jus' a buncha kids. Wha' they gonna do? 'specially that short one wi' the idiotic face." Naruto blew up once he realized who. I glared menacingly at the drunk man, wanting very much to throw a senbon near at his head as a warning. The way he verbally stomped on Naruto like that was hurtful. The anime portrayed as a sort of joke, but in real life, it was so much more different. Those comments stung.

Kakashi sent me a warning glance, as if knowing sensing my darkening mood. I gave a slight nod in response, physically taking a step back to calm myself down. It was no use getting worked up over this. I took a deep breath, plastering a fake smile on my face. "Tazuna-san, I'd appreciate it if you badmouth my teammate. I assure you, we are _quite_ capable of handling a _C-ranked_ mission." He visibly flinched, dabbing his sleeve on his forehead. I couldn't help the slightly mad giggle that escaped my lips.

0o0o0

The warm breeze caressed our faces as we walked, loud chatter filling the silence. I constantly glanced at the ground, searching furiously for the shimmering puddle of water. Tazuna wasn't helping much either. He was a constant eyesore, taking a swig of his beloved sake every few seconds and dripping some on the dirt ground.

The cheap smell floated around us like a cloud, irritating our sensitive noses. I could imagine Kakashi feeling the most irritated, but he didn't say anything. He was, after all, a professional. I huffed.

The moment we walked across that wooden bridge, butterflies sprang up from my stomach. Puddle. Water. Puddle. I tried hard not to stare at the clear pile as we passed, but I still snuck glances at it. Kakashi caught my eye as it strayed and my face heated up. Was I that obvious? Gosh darn. I casually pulled out a kunai as I told Inner to get ready.

 **Understood.**

The rattle of chains sounded behind me as I raced to get in position. The chains were fast, going in all directions seemingly at once. They 'caught' Kakashi first, pulling at him until he ripped to pieces. No matter how serious the air was, I still found a moment of humor in the unrealistic way Kakashi died. A chuunin versus a jounin.

A chuunin would win, obviously.

I scoffed as my breath slowly evened out. Get ready. The chains moved on to shoot towards Naruto, and I glared at the attacker. Everything seemed to slow in that single moment; my heartbeat was loud in my ears. I could see Naruto's eyes gradually widen, the bushes swaying in the wind, and Sasuke rushing to meet the chains. I had this under control.

Nothing seemed to matter for some reason, except for Inner and I. We had been working on this for a while, but never like this. Never in a real life battle. Yet, I felt sure of myself.

I drew on her force, pulling out all my pent up anger and hatred. All those feelings condensed into an almost physical sword, reaching towards the offensive man and plunging into his chest. The man's eyes widened as he froze and let his chains slip. His brother suffered the same fate, surprise coloring his features.

I smirked, letting the hold on my emotions drop. Time resumed and Sasuke easily took out the two chuunin with Naruto not far behind. But alas, Naruto could not stop one of claws digging into his skin. I winced at the blood trickling down his hand. Kakashi quickly intervened afterwards, pulling Naruto away and helping Sasuke secure the two. The two simply stared in shock, while I simply hid a smirk.

"Sakura, Sasuke... good job. You too, Naruto." His eye narrowed as he turned towards Tazuna, a silent warning clearly visible. The older man swallowed thickly, nervously adjusting his glasses. Kakashi then turned back to face Naruto, threatening demeanor gone, his eye now focusing on the blonde's stormy air.

Suddenly, Naruto cursed aloud, jabbing a kunai into his poisoned wound. "Why... Why am I always so different? Why?!" I hesitantly moved to stand beside him, softly grabbing his shoulder. Damn, did Sasuke say something insensitive again? That rivalry should just go die in a hole or something.

"Naruto..." I gave him a firm shake, "It doesn't matter if you're different. You're... You're my friend." I felt a little embarrassed saying it, but it was true. We've bonded slightly over these few D-ranked missions, and I've came to realize that Naruto was more than just a person I had to protect for the sake of the plot. Which was quite an improvement. What? It's not like have a hundred friends back home or something...

His eyes glazed over, "T-thanks. Sakura-cha..." I gave him a cold stare. "Uh, Sakura." My lips curled up into a smile, much better. 'Sakura-chan' reminded too much of the crush he had on cannon Sakura. That just wasn't me. Besides, I'm pretty sure that was just a 'fluffy' sort of thing. It was shallow and easily breakable. A couple dozen unimpressed stares was enough to beat if out of him.

Kakashi cut in, "Guys, well, this is a touching scene and all but... Naruto, you'll die if you let that cut bleed any longer." Naruto blanched and began to do this odd wiggly dance, running this way and that.

"Nooooo! I can't die this young!" I laughed into my hands.

0o0o0

After Kakashi's clarification talk with both Tazuna and the two chuunin, we had gotten off the boat. Naruto was rather twitchy while we walked, jumping at every single rustle that crossed our path. At one point, he was so startled that he flung a several kunai at bush. Running to collect his fallen kunai, he parted the bushes and found a very terrified white rabbit.

"Stop trying to scare me, you idiot!" Tazuna screeched.

His blue eyes turned teary along with the rabbit as he rubbed it's soft fur against his cheeks. "Sorry rabbit! Didn't mean to scare you, really!" The poor thing shivered against his tight embrace. Wait, wait, wait. I was forgetting something. My fingers tapped against my thigh speedily as I tried to remember what I was missing. White fur. White fur... This wasn't the correct... season. Haku!

A sword came flying out of seemingly nowhere the moment I had recalled what I had forgotten. I tackled Tazuna to the ground out of pure reflexes as the blade passed. My throat felt parched all of a sudden as I shakily stood, pulling the old man along and watching the famed Zabuza Momochi land on his sturdy make-shift platform.

Zabuza and Kakashi talked for a while, before things started heating up. With what I thought was a grimace, Kakashi slid his forehead protector up, showing off his sharingan. I watched in awe as his eye flared to life, it's crimson color bright and vivid. We moved to our positions.

Zabuza growled until he left us with one last threat, going through the hand signs for the hiding in the mist technique.

Unlike the anime, there was no quirky background music to help ease the murderous air. It was bone-chillingly silent, and that scared all of us. My kunai was in front of me, slightly trembling as stood in front of Tazuna. It didn't help when Zabuza's gravely voice surrounded us, whispering ways on how to kill a person. Killing intent choked us like a chain physically wrapped around our throats. My breath caught.

I called out to Inner, hoping try to bring out any positive intent that I had, but it was useless. It barely made a dent on his overpowered desire to demolish each and every one of us. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Sasuke start to bring his kunai closer and closer to his chest. Oh my-

"Sasuke!" I whispered frantically, even though I knew that Kakashi was going to save him. When you're stuck in a situation like that, watching your teammate about to commit suicide, you don't just stand there and watch. I made a move to grab his hand when it appeared that he was blanking out.

At that moment, Kakashi chose to make his heroic entrance. The chains around our throats seemed to loosen when he turned around, single eye crinkling.

"Don't worry, I'll protect you guys with my life." That moment was something I would forever treasure. We could tell he truly meant it because as soon as he said it, a wave of calm and safety washed over us. I felt a little bit more determined. Since Kakashi chose to protect us with his life, I would also do my best.

Thus, the battle between him and Zabuza began.

... Honestly, I was ashamed of how I didn't know what happened until it was over. Real fighting really only needed a matter of seconds. If you didn't act fast enough, you were dead. Again, the anime had slowed their movement quite considerably, in order for us simple mortals to actually know what they did. It only took a few minutes before Kakashi ended up in the water, trapped in a big bubble.

I loosened and tightened my grip on the kunai I was holding. Sakura wasn't of much use in this episode, but what could _I_ do? Comparing cannon Sakura and I, my abilities only surpassed her by a little. Anyhow, I would find something. I was _not_ going to just stand there.

Zabuza started to taunt us, calling us fake ninja.(I could care less, he's just a classic bully... with an amazing amount of killing power.) Kakashi started yelling for us to leave, but we refused. I glared for the second(third?)time today, "We won't run. It's useless." My voice wasn't loud, but it was loud enough for him to hear. His eyes widened.

Sasuke charged at him, but failed - kicked back to where he started. Naruto was quiet, clutching at the ground. He seemed to be in deep thought, before rising up and suddenly charging towards Zabuza. I finally realized that he was going for the headband that Zabuza had underneath his foot. This time, instead of charging along with him, I chose to stay where I was. This was Naruto's moment, and I wouldn't ruin it.

"What are you doing?" Kakashi yelled, finally letting our words sink in. "Go!" I ignored his words, while Tazuna gave his approval for us to continue on.

Sasuke frowned and charged again, only to be crushed painfully by Zabuza's foot.

I grit my teeth, "Asshole." Rushing towards him at a distance, I threw both kunai and shurikan in an attempt to get his foot off Sasuke. Naruto followed closely behind with his shadow clones as I flipped backwards, letting him go by himself. I got back into position guarding Tazuna, blocking any stray kunai that was flung our way.

Naruto and Sasuke started their rare display of teamwork, not saying a word to each other yet communicating clearly. It was truly a beauty to watch, especially after weeks of watching them argue brainlessly.

Kakashi was soon released from the water prison from their efforts, and Naruto took this moment to shine, explaining his brilliant plan with the shurikan. Kakashi and Zabuza resumed their fight, going through multiple hand signs in order to form a magnificent water dragon. They crashed against each other and dispelled, with them fighting with weapons the second time. The sounds of their fight was the only thing that I could hear.

Zabuza began to run in circles, with Kakashi copying his every move. They talked, then Kakashi zoomed through the hand signs for the water vortex jutsu. He succeeded in flooding the area. But as Kakashi prepared to end Zabuza for good, a senbon flew from a tree and pierced him in the neck. Haku, in all his masked glory, jumped down and thanked Kakashi for 'helping' him with Zabuza.

After checking the fallen man's pulse, he determined that Zabuza was indeed 'dead' and Haku escaped with the body. I really wanted to chase after them.

Naruto began muttering in disbelief after the boy left about how strong he was. I had to agree, but with no hard feelings. Haku probably trained ten times harder than we have ever trained, so he had every right to rub it into our faces. We could only complain after we had put in the same amount of effort. But then again, some ninja never complained even though they had every right too.

That was a true ninja, in my opinion. Kakashi soon managed to pacify Naruto after his uber-cool speech about strong people. I bet you all know that famous line.

But just as he was about to leave for Tazuna's house, Kakashi froze and began to fell forwards with a thud. There was silence before I let out a garbled sound and rushed towards him. To think I forgot about this! Stupid!

"Naruto, are you able to make any shadow clones?" I questioned as I tried lifting him up and failing. Sasuke watched with a quiet sort of shock, standing as still as a stone statue.

"Y-yeah!" He formed the correct hand signs and out poofed several shadow clones. They noisily proceeded to carry the unconscious man back to the client's house.

0o0o0

It's rather crude, I apologize. Well, it's what you'd expect from constant procrastination and writer's block after all. Chapters will be short because of my lack of muse, but fear not! Chapters will still be posted. Bear with me guys.(this chapter will be edited promise, feel free to point out any glaring mistakes)

I know, I know. You guys are thinking, she changed the cover _again_? What is wrong with her?! I have a major obsession with changing covers, so... sorry? Hope you like this new and improved one.

Reviews are greatly appreciated and will make my day! *wink, wink*


	9. Chapter Eight

'...' - Eliza talking to Inner Sakura.

 **... -** Inner Sakura speaking.

Wave Mission: Part II

The resting man was soon dumped onto clean white sheets, his arm landing onto the floor with a soft thud. I sighed, squatting and absentmindedly combing through the dirty pink strands covering my forehead. I was eyeing a disgusting brown clump when Naruto's loud voice cut through the heavy silence. I glanced upwards, flicking the mysterious substance in the corner.

"Sakura! IsKakashiokay? Whatdowedoknow? He'snotdeadright?" His sky-blue eyes were wide with alarm.

I gave a huff of amusement, "Calm down, Naruto. He's fine, just exhausted is all. Using the sharingan takes a lot of energy, you know?"

"R-really? Awesome!" Naruto grinned, fidgeting a little less and starting to rub his head.

"Dobe, stop crowding him." came Sasuke's two cents. It seems like he'd overcome his shock already.

"Tem-" Naruto started getting fired up, his form angling forwards.

I rolled my eyes, "You two, cut it out. This isn't the time for this. Now, shoo. Kakashi-sensei needs his rest." The two looked at me for a moment, a strange sort of quiet filling the air.

"Well, what're you waiting for? Don't you want your sensei to recover for you guys to learn 'cool jutsu'?" I quirked an eyebrow.

"Tch." Sasuke glowered at me for a second before storming out the room, Naruto following him closely. That was better. I sighed again, why couldn't they just get along for once? Stupid Uchiha pride. I brushed off those thoughts and turned to where Kakashi was laying, pulling out a chair so I could sit at safe distance away.

Never underestimate a professional ninja, unconscious or not. I wasn't _that_ dumb. The several kunai that he owned was carefully hidden, yes. But I could still see the faint outline of them hidden in places I never even considered. Pssh, ninja.

I slumped in my chair, hugging my knees and wondering what the heck I was supposed to do in this situation. All I could was wait, I guess. Pulling out a book I had brought along, I opened it and started skimming through it's contents. It was about chakra control, as ridiculous as that sounds.

Sakura Haruno, bad at chakra control. That's right. From the moment I failed at doing the tree exercise, I was determined to find out why and how to fix it. Turns out, I didn't have an embarrassing amount of chakra as I had originally thought.

Inner had told me that it was an imbalance between spiritual and physical energy. It made sense, in a way. I had Sakura's memories, and memories from another world. Adding the number of years that Sakura hand lived and my age, it practically made me a young adult. I now had an abundance of spiritual energy and not a whole lot of physical.

Uuuugh. I wanted to scream out loud, resisting the urge to stomp on the ground like a spoiled child. The thought of how much more I had to train to even reach some resemblance of balance made me blanch. Yippee, more fun time.

A light stirring made me look over to the bed. Kakashi groaned, opening his one eye and attempting to get up. Standing abruptly from my chair and nearly knocking it over, I rushed over to Kakashi and tried to make him lay back down. He was surprisingly strong, even though he just woke up.

"No, I'm fine Sakura. Don't worry, I'm fi-" He kept trying to sit up even with my repeated attempts to persuade him otherwise. I messed up my hair in annoyance, nose flaring. Okay, that's it. It didn't matter that he was a still recovering patient. I gripped his shoulders with just enough strength to not hurt him too badly.

"Kakashi-sensei! You know better to exhaust yourself like that! You've just recovered from using the sharingan and you're thinking of getting up already? I thought you were supposed to have the most com- Never mind." I lowered my head sheepishly and took a step back from the look that he was giving me. My hands automatically fiddled with each other, a light rose color spreading across my cheeks.

Damn, I hated when this happened.

"Sakura, if I didn't know better, I would've thought you were the sensei." he replied in a sardonic tone.

"Heh... Sorry." I really wasn't sorry at all, and he knew it. My lips pressed into a thin line, blush fading, willing him to not protest.

He looked at me for a solid five seconds before seemingly giving up, "...I guess I won't be moving then." I inwardly gave myself a high five.

"Sensei!" I grinned. His eyes crinkled. A thudding of footsteps neared the corner before they stopped abruptly.

"What happened?! I heard some yelling!" Naruto burst in, slamming open the door and knocking down a poor flower pot. It crashed to the ground, soil spilling in all directions and clay pieces in ruins. The flower was snapped in half beneath one of the more weighty pieces.

" _Naruto_. Careful there." A glint appeared in my eyes as I looked at him pointedly.

"Ah." He looked over to the shattered flower pot. "Sorry." I glanced over at the unimpressed Sasuke, then back at him.

"You should be saying to Tazuna instead." I replied.

"Going!" He prepared to rush out the door again before I tugged him back.

I pointed to the chair that I sat in only moments ago, "Sit. We need to talk." I was in the middle of grabbing another chair when I felt something burn into my sides. Looking up, I was met with a curious stare from Sasuke. I merely pointed to the chair next Naruto without saying anything.

After getting everyone to sit down and shut up, excluding Kakashi who was still bedridden, I brought up what I had meant to say. "There's something suspicious with the hunter-nin." I decided to just put it bluntly. There was simply no time for beating around the bush.

Suddenly, backs were a little more straight and eyes a little more clear. The room was so quiet I could drop a coin right then and everyone would hear every single motion it made. There was such a strong feeling of anticipation that even Kakashi attempted to sit up again. That was before I turned to him with what I knew was a 'super-freaky' stare.( _Thanks_ , Naruto.) He laid back down.

"What was so suspicious?" Sasuke leaned forward with his hands clasped in front of him. Classic move right there.

I blinked before giving him my answer, "If that boy was really a hunter-nin, why didn't he handle the body right then and there. I mean, all you need is the head right? And... I doubt that a couple of senbon were enough to kill Zabuza."

"...I agree." I looked at him in surprise, not expecting his reply. What I _did_ expect was a little glower or some refusal hidden refusal in his tone. Well, this was a nice surprise anyhow. My lips quirked up, feeling a little happy that he accepted my answer without much fuss.

Naruto muttered under his breath before clutching his head and wailing dramatically. "I don't get it! What does that have to with anything?!"

"Naruto, if that boy wasn't a hunter-nin than it would mean that he was on the same side as Zabuza."

"And if he was on the same side as Zabuza then... Oh." It took a lot for him to not shout out. Instead, he looked uncharacteristically worried.

Kakashi still remained silent. Curious, I began to ask him what his thoughts were.

He beat me to it, "Sakura... That was very impressive of you to notice that." He gave a low chuckle. "Observant indeed... I was thinking something along the lines of that too."

Sasuke spoke up again, this time darkly, "That would mean that Zabuza is still alive." No one spoke for two whole minutes before Naruto unsurprisingly broke it. His worried look had disappeared completely while his eyes brightened with a newfound fire.

"Then we'll just have to train harder! Kakashi-sensei, when you're well again, teach us something! We need to be able to hold our own against Zabuza and that frustrating kid!" he exclaimed passionately.

"Maa... my cute students are growing up so fast." Kakashi said with humor clear in his eye. Sasuke had a tick mark on his head, while Naruto started to protest.

I held up a hand to interrupt their bickering and stood up, catching their attention. "Kakashi-sensei... I agree with Naruto. It's time you teach us something new. We really need whatever we can get to even have the slightest bit of chance. I know that I'm the weakest member of this group, and I'm willing to do whatever to improve."

"But-!" Naruto exclaimed.

I shook my head, "It's true."

Something indescribable flickered across Kakashi's face, "...alright then." He grabbed a wooden cane conveniently place on near the bed, getting up carefully. He gripped the bed frame so tightly his knuckles turned white.

"Sensei, you can just tell us what to do. No need to-" I began.

He shook his head, "Nothing you say or do will convince me, Sakura. It's only right for a sensei to keep watch over his students."

I pursed my lips, unable to find anything to counter his response, "Fine, but please stay put and don't move around so much. You've only just woken up. We don't want you to suddenly collapse again." That meant all my hard work was for nothing...

Kakashi nodded, sluggishly walking past us and waving for us to follow. So follow we did.

0o0o0

We surrounded him in the small clearing, listening as he told us what we were going to do and how were going to do it. By the incredulous looks by on both of the boys' faces and small snorts, they didn't believe that this was actually going to help them at all. I smacked the two on the back of their heads.

"This exercise is going to help you guys a lot, so don't underestimate it." I lightly scolded.

"Sakura's right. Now, watch." Kakashi walked up the tree vertically with his hands in his pockets, making it look like it was the easiest thing to do in the world.

Naruto grinned, "Heh, it doesn't look that hard. I'll be able to do it in no time!"

"Dobe, I doubt it." a small smirk stretched across the Uchiha's face.

"I'm afraid I'll have to agree with Sasuke on this. It's harder than it looks, trust me." After finishing that display of amazing chakra control, Kakashi handed us a few kunai, instructing us to mark how high up we're able to reach. Bidding us half-assed good luck, Kakashi returned to his spot at the base of a tree, pulling out one of his books out of nowhere.

Guh, I'm pretty sure he does that just to piss us off. And it's _working_. I clapped my hands together to clear my thoughts, "Let's get started."

0o0o0

Sweat dripped down my brow as I glared heatedly at the tree in front of me. Damn. This. Monstrosity. I'd fallen down how many times? This was thirtieth time, for God's sake. I was having absolutely zero progress, and my frustration levels were off the charts.

 **I can help you.**

'Where did you go off too?'

 **Can't a girl get her beauty sleep?**

'I didn't know you could even sleep.' I wiped the sweat of my brow, shifting my weight on one side.

 **I don't.**

' _Hah_?' I scratched my head as I looked up at the tree.

 **Don't 'hah' me, it makes you sound like some kind of idiot. It was meant figuratively, of course.**

'Thanks. Now, how can you help me exactly?'

 **It's hard to explain, but I can uh... sort of trick your system and help you suppress your spiritual energy?**

'How does that even work? That just breaks about every single rule about chakra.'

 **Perks of having an Inner. Don't you just love me?**

'Yeah, yeah. I love you. Still, how?'

 **Cold much? Well, block certain pathways I guess. But that's only part of it.**

'Kind of like the Hyuga?'

 **Kind of, except it doesn't hurt like a bitch and you can still use a certain amount of chakra.**

'Oh. That's pretty cool.'

 **I know.**

'...hold up. Why didn't you tell me about this before? That meant that I just wasted a good solid hour!' I frowned.

 **I guess I just forgot? Extra exercise is good for you, anyways.**

'You forgot? Argh, Inner!"

 **Sorry, sorry. Going to even out your chakra levels now.**

I felt little prickles all over my skin before it was all over, a weird sense of lightness being left behind. ...woah.

 **Good to go.**

'Alrighty, thanks.' I slowly raised one foot and placed in onto the bark, moving my chakra slowly to my feet and feeling that fuzzy warmth whenever I used it. Placing a hand on the tree to steady myself, I then placed my other foot that was on the ground onto the tree. It was like that for a while, before I gained the courage to take off my hands and walk vertically like Kakashi had.

 **Oi, careful there.**

For a split second, my foot slipped and I nearly failed to coat my hands in chakra to hang on. A sigh of relief escaped me as I adjusted my footing and kept on going, hands growing clammier with each foot higher I went. Once I was up, I couldn't resist the small, childish squeal that escaped me. I had finally managed it! 'Cool beans!'

 **Just as expected, of course.**

I began carefully walking down the tree, a bright smile on my face.

"Very good, Sakura. Did you attempt this before?" Kakashi questioned quietly, looking up from his book. I raised my eyebrows, lips parted slightly. He was watching the whole time? How? I was sure he was reading that repulsive thing the whole... I'm impressed.

"Yeah, I failed miserably though." I laughed.

"Hmm, interesting." The small curious look in his eye did not escape me. I looked behind me to two awed expressions, Naruto's being the most comical and Sasuke quick to hide it. A scowl soon replaced his previous expression.

"How did you do that Sakura?! Amazing!"

I grinned toothily, "Being a girl enables me to have better chakra control. I don't have that much chakra like you guys. Especially you, Naruto."

Kakashi cut in before I could say anymore, "Being a girl or a boy makes no difference to me. I guess you'll just have to work harder to catch up with Sakura here. I guess the Uchiha aren't as great as I originally thought, huh? And you, Naruto, what's this about being Hokage when you can't even do this simple exercise?" Gosh, he just _had_ to use my little achievement to rub onto the boys' faces. Man, he was good at this teaching thing.

Imaginary fire sprouted in the background and their eyes as they hurled themselves at their trees.

After watching them silently for a few minutes, I walked toward Kakashi's direction, wondering what I should do next. I decided against it after some thought, turning instead to walk to where I knew had a water source. If I kept relying on Kakashi like this, then I wouldn't be able to survive on my own. In this world, you needed to be independent.

 **Admirable.**

0o0o0

I stopped in front of a reasonably sized lake, looking at the still water with a small sense of dread. It _was_ going to be pretty darn cold if I were to fall in. I shivered, wrapping my arms around myself.

 **Trying out the next level of chakra control, eh?**

'Yeah.' I poked the water delicately with one finger, wincing at the temperature and pulling it out quickly. Ripples fanned out across the water in a chain reaction.

 **Are you thinking of giving up?**

'I'm tempted, though I probably won't.' Placing one foot on the water like I did with the tree, I moved chakra towards it and watched as it glued itself to the water. I proceeded to place my other foot onto the liquid surface and wobbly took a good few steps... Before promptly crashing into the water. So glad I took that swimming coarse. Popping my head up to breathe, I scrambled to get to land and listened to the barks of laughter that came from Inner. I grinded my teeth together, trying to stop them from chattering.

 **Ha! HAHA! That was so pathetic even when I evened out your chakra levels!**

'Oh, shut up. I'll get it sooner or later.' I dragged myself onto the firm ground and took a hold of my horribly messed up bun, pulling out the hair tie. Combing rapidly through my tangled, sopping wet hair, I scraped it up into a high ponytail with my numb fingers. Time to try again. As I prepared to take another step onto the water, a voice called out to me.

"It seems as if you are working hard. Already jumping to the water exercise without your sensei?"

I sent him a sheepish look, "Ah, about that..."

"No, I understand." His form was slowly drooping, making me oddly guilty.

"Y-you do?" I wasn't sure where this was going at all.

Freezing in place, he turned his head up, eye growing serious. The book that was in his hand slowly made it's way to who knows where as he took a step closer, then another step. I swallowed nervously. Was he that upset? All I did was train by myself. Nothing bad... right?

Changing his demeanor in a split second, he sniffed comically, "My student must think I'm such a lousy teacher~!"

"No sensei. That wasn't my intention." I deadpanned, wanting to face palm. He sure knew how to press peoples' buttons.

"That so?" he questioned, putting a hand on his chin.

"Aren't you supposed to keep watch on the other two though?"

"Whoever said I was supposed to?" Again, I was stuck on how to reply. He never actually promised anything.

"No one..."

"Right, so try that again. The amount of chakra in your feet is too weak." He pointed to the lake.

"Oh." I answered so intelligently. My feet stepped onto the water again as I poured chakra into them.

 **A little more...**

'I know, working on it.' I closed my eyes and focused intently on the flow of energy I was supplying to my feet. It felt a bit like walking on jello, or what I imagined to be. I giggled, temporarily breaking off the flow of energy transferring to my left foot and causing it to plunge underwater. Quickly pulling it out and righting myself, I cleared my throat in embarrassment. Let's hope Kakashi had pulled out his book at that moment.

Seeing that I could hear no sounds of restrained laughter and only the sound of paper flipping, it was a good sign.

 **Just a little more...**

'...I get it.' My eyebrows scrunched in concentration, gradually taking baby steps forward.

 **You only need a little...**

'Inner, I get it!' I threw my hands up in frustration, opening my eyes.

"Congrats. You've done it Sakura." I turned to face Kakashi, hands still in the air. I lowered them.

"Done...?" I quietly prompted, trailing off and walking towards him. A small rock suddenly hit the water, causing it to ripple and shake. It was at that moment that I chose to look down, shock and amazement slowly coloring my features. Holy- "Wow." I whispered breathlessly.

He chuckled, "Sakura, I have favor to ask of you."

"Huh?" I looked up dazedly before straightening. My eyes cleared, "Anything, sensei."

"Maa, maa. It's nothing that serious." He waved his book absentmindedly. "I just wanted you to go guard Tazuna at the bridge."

"Alright, I will." I smiled and walked out of the water.

0o0o0

I sat on a make-shift chair, stretching and feeling the cracks along my body. Everyone was so busy at work and I was just a sitting duck. My lips formed a small pout as I began twirling a kunai out of pure boredom.

"Oi, careful there kid. Wouldn't want that thing to go flying out at one of the workers." Tazuna called out to me while carrying his supplies.

"No worries, I've been doing this for years." Or should I say the real Sakura... I grinned while give out a cheery thumbs up.

"Where're the two other brats anyway?" He adjusted his glasses, while patting his hands on his clothing.

"Eh, training. I finished early, so here I am."

"Oh, really?" Tazuna looked unimpressed, and I inwardly fumed. I wasn't the best in this team, but I could handle myself alright. It was offensive seeing the look on his face and the feeling of belittlement rolling off him in waves. I had spent lots of time training and trying to catch up. He couldn't possibly know the amount of effort it took to try and not be an embarrassment.

 **I'll show him not to take me lightly!**

I closed my eyes and smiled without any teeth, cracking my knuckles. "Don't worry, by myself, I'm still _perfectly_ capable of protecting you _Tazuna_." I purposely dropped the honorific.

"Stop bristling. I was unimpressed at the two boys, not you." I raised my both of my eyebrows, crossing my arms.

"Then you should have made that clear. Us kunoichi don't take well to being insulted."

"Right." Tazuna surprised me once again my letting out a laughter sounding a bit like wheezing. "Kids growing up too fast these days."

My shoulders shrugged, "I guess so."

He took off the towel around his shoulders and started wiping his face, "Come, I need to bring home some food." I stood still for a moment before following, rolling my eyes as I did. A please would be nice.

0o0o0

As I looked around, my eyes clouded. Children were wandering in the streets wearing some ragged looking clothes - if they could be even called that. Women were bony and frail, their hair losing every bit of it's natural shiny quality. And don't let me get started on the men. They looked as if the world was ending, with their dull eyes and slumped postures. This place... was filled to the brim with misery.

I adverted my eyes from the sad scene and followed Tazuna into a store just as miserable. The shelves were bare and covered with tiny cobwebs, half-filled jars scattered about. Feeling a small presence sneak behind me, a warmth nearing my back, I whipped around. Using a self-defense move from my world, I grabbed the person's arm and flipped them onto their back. Hard enough to hurt, but not hard enough to break their backs.

I stood straight and dusted my hands, staring at the man in front of me. A... pickpocket?

"I-i'm sorry! I-i-i won't do it again I swear!" The man, no boy, looked scared out of his wits. My eyes softened. In such a money-deprived land, it was no wonder he resorted to stealing. It was wrong, though understandable. I helped him up.

"As long as you don't do it again." Handing him some bills, I pushed him out the door. The last thing I saw was his grateful smile before he took off in a run.

"Boy, it seems like you did tell the truth after all." Tazuna remarked.

I flashed him a peace sign, "Don't underestimate me."

Tazuna's face suddenly darkened, "It's all Gato's fault that this happened. Without him, we would have been happy."

"We-"

"No, don't be sorry. You should-"

I cleared my throat while tapping my foot once, "What I meant to say before _someone_ interrupted was that... we'll do our best to protect you." His eyes widened. "We may seem immature and selfish, but we take our jobs seriously. No matter how strong the enemy is, no matter how much we're beaten down, we'll _**never**_ give up. Even if I claw my way up from the dead, I'll _**kill**_ that fucking bastard Gato for you."

He gaped, "Wha-"

"Pretty neat for couple of brats, eh?" I pulled a funny face. His face froze for about half a second before he bent down and hollered with uncontrollable laughter.

"Not bad, not bad at all!" I joined in his laughter.

0o0o0

There's pretty much no excuse for me... Let's just say that. I haven't updated in forever! Guilt from all the _amazingfantasticwonderfulmagicalrainbowunicornbeautiful_ favorites/follows/reviews has made me type up this 4,000 worded chapter.(Yay!) That needed some serious motivation guys, and you all gave me that. You should be really proud of yourselves. Here, have a slice of cake. *hands you one*

Reviews would really make my day!(and might lead to another long chapter, just saying...)


	10. Chapter Nine

'...' - Eliza talking to Inner Sakura.

 **... -** Inner Sakura speaking.

Wave Mission: Part III

We were greeted at the door by a smiling Tsunami. Stepping inside with two bags of groceries in hand, one of which barely weighed more than a small bag of coins, I placed them softly on the kitchen counter. The kitchen was almost as bare as the stores we had visited, with only a few containers and jars visible on the shelves. They were all half-filled, some not even a fourth.

I felt a surge of pity at this, but as soon as the feeling came, it was gone. No one liked blatant pity, least of all me. So I shouldn't be a hypocrite. Turning toward the busy woman, I offered to help with dinner. Silence.

Tsunami froze, literally. Rewind a few seconds ago, and her hands were swift in taking out the groceries, humming softly under her breath. I waited. Then, as if there was some invisible switch that suddenly turned on, Tsunami came back to life. She blinked once, twice, turned around, and gaped at me. Complete with the deer in headlights look.

"What?! I couldn't possibly have one of our guests help!" was her frantic reply, head shaking furiously. If we weren't in the situation we were in, I might have found it funny. Though at this moment, I was intent on helping while my teammates were still throwing themselves at a tree.

So I smiled and gently took the unpleasant looking vegetable out of her hand(it had a weird, bumpy texture and had a yellow-looking hue), "There's no need to be so polite, Tsunami-san. I'll be glad to be of use since we _are_ intruding on you quite a bit."

"B-but-!"

"Consider this my token of gratitude for your hospitality. I would feel terrible if you didn't accept." The look in my eyes held no room for arguments, giving her the hint that I could be _much_ more persuasive.

Tsunami wilted, "As you wish." The corner of my lips twitched upwards as I took a knife from the drawers. I then picked up another of the yellow vegetables, rolling it over cautiously in my hands. It felt squishier than it looked.

After a beat of silence, "What would you like me to do?"

0o0o0

The bubbling pot of stew smelled extremely appetizing, though the ingredients used in making the soup looked far from it. The cooked and seasoned fish also held the same pleasant qualities. Thank God I remembered how to cook from before, seeing how my hands flowed almost gracefully through the motions of cleaning the fish. It was far from professional, but it looked presentable enough, according to Tsunami's approving glance.

"Ahh. So tired!" I recognized the sound of Naruto's voice even with the sounds of cooking in the kitchen. It was loud and had that raspy characteristic. Sasuke, as expected, was a lot more quiet in his entrance; the sound of the door shutting my only clue that he was even there. Tsunami chuckled at the boys and ushered them to the table, taking out steaming bowls of stew and the small plate of fish.

I stepped out from behind her, holding utensils in one hand. Naruto nose sniffed the air excitedly, his eyes closed. Then his eyes shot open, revealing a bright and excited blue. "Something smells really good!" He giddily rubbed his hands together as Tsunami set the bowls on the table. I smacked his hands with a chopstick when he appeared to be reaching out. He yelped and immediately retracted his stinging hand, lips forming a pout while his eyes turned teary.

"Wait for everyone to be seated." I gently admonished, melting a little. Those eyes will be the death of me someday.

Naruto stared longingly at the food, "Okay..." Kakashi chose this moment to appear, tucking his book somewhere and taking a seat.

"Looking good." He gave a thumbs up. I smiled. Sasuke soon took a seat afterwards, positioning his chopsticks and picking at the steaming piece of fish on his bowl.

0o0o0

At first, it started like a normal dinner. There was the polite talk, the comfortable silence(aka when everyone is eating their food), and the awkward one when we were all waiting for someone to initiate the conversation again; it happened when Naruto was busy demolishing his food. Then, _somehow_ , it became an eating war between Sasuke and Naruto. No one really knew how it happened, it just did.

Okay, I lied. The reason was pathetic, but it was still a _reason_.

It began with a single glance. That's right. A glance. Naruto looked at Sasuke, then Sasuke looked back him. It seemed to have been a communication of some sorts, before their eyes glinted with a determination that I knew all too well. Then their food seemed to have disappeared from their bowls with a speed faster than the naked eye could see. They asks for seconds, thirds, and even fourths... That was when they puked their guts out with loud retching noises.

It was disgusting.

I pinched the skin between my eyebrows, "Naruto! Sasuke! I expected better that this from the two of you! Konoha ninja, acting like ki- no, brats! Have you no shame?! Take a look around you..."

Needless to say, they received a huge scolding and a smack to the heads. What can I say? Mother always took out the closest thing and whacked us with it. Old habits die hard, you know?

When things finally quieted down, I noticed a little boy staring at a torn picture on the wall. With a start, I realized that boy was Inari, someone whom Naruto had befriended. I stared solemnly at the picture before speaking up about it. Someone had to ask it, didn't they? I sighed, sometimes being Sakura had it's little disadvantages. Asking about a memory that clearly seemed tragic made me seem like a witless, insensitive jerk; but the job had to be done.

With a glare that I foreshadowed, Inari pushed his chair back angrily and stormed out of the room.

"I-inari! Where are you going when we haven't even finished yet?" Tsunami made an apologetic face and chased after Inari. The poor boy. Experiencing death at such a young age, it wasn't surprising that he'd act that way. After the two were out of earshot, Tazuna began to tell the story of Kaiza's heroic deeds and tragic end. I only listened with half of a mind. The other half was busy making a mental list of what useful skills that I should learn. Since I knew that Sakura's affinity was earth, I might want to start learning some simple earth jutsus.

...or not. Maybe I was jumping the gun here. Thinking it over, any jutsu would work really. Just ones that finished the job and could be used relatively easily by anyone with any type of chakra affinity. Reminded suddenly of Haku and his unique weapons, I decided that learning how to use the senbon wouldn't be too bad either. A nice, clean kill. Medical jutsu would be next on my list, if I could ever manage to learn any... A flash of Naruto, Sasuke, and Kakashi's bleeding bodies crossed my mind, their eyes turning more dead with every second that passed.

I sighed, finding myself slipping deeper and deeper into the darker realms of my mind. I can't. I just can't. I c-can't help them with the way I am right now!

What if I die out there? I died once, and it definitely wasn't some trip to the candy store. Although in this place... I could easily meet my end in much more worse ways. I could have my limbs cut off one by one, have my head sliced clean off, obtain a mental scar that would be impossible to erase until I- The possibilities were endless.

Now I found myself slowly wanting to back away from the whole thing and just resign from being a ninja. After this mission, I could live my life peacefully somewhere not too well-known. No one would care enough to purposely find me anyway. It wasn't as if I belonged in a major clan or had some rare kenkai genkai. It could all work out fairly well. Though as I continued further into my thoughts, I knew that they were getting more and more unbelievable. And childish.

What about Sakura's parents? What if I manage to screw up the plot even further? Sakura needed to be there in order for everything to fall into place, I soon realized. There was something in my gut that told me that if I left, something would happen. Something bad.

Wordlessly, I got up and excused myself from the table, fear creeping into my heart. Sasuke and Naruto miraculously remained silent, scrubbing their dirty rugs furiously on the floor. I felt a ghost of a smile appear on my lips as I walked to the door and opened it, feeling a gust of wind flatten my bangs to my forehead. Eyes fluttering shut, I enjoyed that single moment where I could pretend that everything was fine and that I was... completely safe. Then I opened them, and the imaginary cocoon around myself disappeared.

I was vulnerable again and hit with a sudden coldness that had nothing to do with the wind.

In a daze, my feet carry themselves deeper into the forest. The chatter of animals follow me with every step, the sounds of their talk warped into some kind of mocking. With one hand, I clutch a kunai tightly, feeling the blood drain from my hands. It was the only way to ground myself before I completely lost it. Stopping a distance away from a tree, I looked down at my kunai and raised it to eye-level.

The sharpened edge of the kunai glinted in the moonlight, and I felt the sudden urge to throw it. Positioning myself according to the textbook version, I took aim, and threw it. The weapon sailed through the air and landed onto the brown bark, creating a soft thunk that resonated through the forest. Somehow, this calmed me down a bit, arousing me from the dream-like state that I've slipped into. So I pulled yet another kunai out and aimed it next to the kunai already thrown.

It reached it's destination, and in a moment of morbid enlightenment, I marveled at how effortlessly it could have pierced one's flesh.

0o0o0

Once I finished with the kunai, I started with the shurikans. When all my weapons ran out, I only collected the weapons and threw them again and again and again. With every throw, I imagined a faceless enemy. I imagined them advancing toward me, with sunken, black eyes that were bottomless and blood-lust making the air thicker.

I threw faster, my aim being more off as a consequence, with most of them not hitting the tree at all. Panting as if I had run a marathon, I collapsed on my knees. My breath was coming faster now, and a throbbing feeling appeared by the left side of my head.

Tired... Black splotches clouded my vision as I clutched my head. Sometimes I really wonder who got the short end of the stick. Is it really Sakura? Having her life stolen from her, but not _ever_ having to face reality. Or is it, in actuality... me? The one who would have to drench her hands in blood for the rest of her life, constantly look over her shoulder for an unseen enemy, and eventually die at a young age once again. It wasn't fair, but when was it fair? I laughed bitterly.

As I placed my hands face down on the dewy grass to push myself up, I was interrupted by the now familiar voice of Inner.

 **Done?**

'I guess so.' I sat back down, plucking grass blades with fervor.

 **Good, 'cause you were starting to freak me out.**

'Ah.' My fingers tightened on the tuft of grass I was currently pulling. I didn't want another lecture.

 **Monosyllables? Of all the things to learn...**

'Hm.'

 **Are you trying to piss me off?**

'Nnn.'

 **Words! Use your words!**

'I don't feel very good.' I started playing with my fingers.

 **Um. Did you just- Hellooo~? You literally spent an hour throwing your weapons at a tree like a maniac.**

'It was... It helped, somewhat.' I stopped my useless fiddling, tucking my fingers in my lap and letting myself sway in the wind.

 **Uh huh. I bet it did.**

'I wonder a lot if I'm going to die on this mission.' I pulled my legs closer to myself, placing my forehead on my knees. _Don'tcrydon'tcrydon'tcry_. Why did this have to come _now_?

 **What's this all of a sudden? I thought we were good!**

'I don't know. A sudden mood-swing maybe?' So far, so good.

 **Maybe. After all, we had this discussion already. I'll help you, so just focus on staying alive.**

'Easier to say than it looks.' No sniffling.

 **Okay, fine. I guess I can, out of the kindness of my heart-**

'What kindness?' No tears.

 **Fine, be that way. I guess I won't be teaching you this really, really, cool jutsu that I know.**

'Copying Naruto? Really? I never would have thought.' No runny nose.

 **You and your blabbering mouth. I think I like it better when you were using monosyllables. So, are you going to listen or not?**

'Not like I have anything better to do.' I blinked several times before my eyes don't feel as glossy as before.

 **I wonder why I got this rude, pessimistic little girl. Why couldn't I have a kind, obedient, optimistic, cute, respectful-**

'I'm not a goddamn Mary Sue.' That comes out harsher than I intended, and I winced.

 **...yeesh. No need to be so aggressive. Way to take a joke.**

'Sorry... I'm not in the best of moods as you can see.'

 **You're going to learn chakra control.**

'What? Didn't I already learn that?'

 **No shit Sherlock. I'm teaching you a more advanced version of it.**

'And you know this because...?'

 **Your memories. There's a whole load of interesting things hidden in your mind.**

Oh, wow. It's totally not creepy at _all_ to be looking at my memories like a freaking TV show.

 **Oi, what's that supposed to mean? I'm technically a part of you, anyways.** **Listen up.**

'Listening.'

 **So it all starts...**

0o0o0

"So, you're basically telling me that I can make myself a living shield if I manage to master this." I said out loud, mulling through the genius of it. Inner could be quite smart when she tried...

 **Wait. How come I feel as if I've been insulted?**

I laughed nervously. 'Just your imagination.'

 **Yeah. Just exert tiny forces of chakra out of the pores of your skin. Even if you can't master it fully, it still is a much-needed advantage. The chakra shield can take the blunt of a kunai aiming to stab you and can help you block those pesky little senbon.**

I nod. 'Useful. Though it could also act as an offensive technique.'

 **Hmm, possibly. What are you thinking?**

'If I can manage to shape my chakra into little spikes that stick out of my hands, when I punch, it can draw blood.'

 **Keyword,** _ **if**_ **. You haven't even managed hardening your chakra!**

'Right. Working on it.'

 **No, it's late. Better off working on it tomorrow.**

'I probably won't be able to sleep anyways.'

 _ **Sakura.**_ **Your chakra levels are dangerously low. You will collapse if you don't stop. Remember all that tree and water walking that you did? Good night.**

'What?! Inner, I still can keep going!'

 **No buts. Good** _ **night**_ **.**

I huffed and stood up, sweeping off the grass settled on my shorts. Inner interrupting at the most exciting mo- A huge yawn overcame me. I wiped the tears in my eyes and walked toward Tazuna's house. I smiled sheepishly. I was tired, after all. All that training must of messed with my mind. I wasn't thinking rationally like I should have done.

Entering the house, I was face to face with Kakashi. Well, chest to face. Why was he so tall? Oh well, a few years would do wonders to my height as well. "Maa, Sakura. Out so late?"

I rubbed my head in a Naruto-like fashion, "Ah, lost track of time training I guess. My bad."

"Training, huh? I thought you had finished for the day..." It was dark, so I couldn't make out his face. What was with all the questioning? In our regular training sessions, Kakashi didn't really question where I went or what I did. He usually kept an eye of the boys, interfering in fights that got a little too out of hand and bonking them on the heads.

I, other hand, kept to myself. Running laps, reading a book, or practicing my katas was what I did most times. Some days, I would feel a little miffed with the lack of attention, but Kakashi would always placate me by teaching a few things here and there.

"Just some new techniques that I wanted to try out. Nothing much, really."

He hummed in reply, turning to go to his own room. I started walking to Tsunami's room before his voice stopped me once again. "Sakura... If you need help, don't hesitate to ask."

"Alright." I whisper. Looking back, I shot him a small smile.

"Anytime." He rests his gaze on my for a few more seconds and disappears within his room. Ruffling my hair, I decide to wash up first thing in the morning tomorrow. At least my hair, anyways. It was filled with dirt, grime, and who-knows-what. I cringe, having been a bit of a germ freak.

When I opened the door to Tsunami's room, I make sure to step as quietly as I can to avoid waking her. It seemed as if she was having a pleasant dream by her relaxed expression. Stripping to my underwear and putting on some clean clothing from Tsunami's younger days, I slipped inside the cool sheets. A sigh made it's way past my lips as I snuggled into the flowery smelling futon. Before I knew it, my eyes had dropped closed.

How I wished that I had kept them open.

0o0o0

Hah... It never goes the way I planned. Seriously, this was supposed to be posted like a week ago! Ugh, this will probably be the place with the authoress keeps on apologizing. So yeah, feel free to ignore this part. Although this time I actually started the next chapter! *insert proud face*

These last few days have been a reading spree. So many hidden treasures man. If any of you have any Naruto fanfics to recommend, then please do. I'm always on the look out. Though I tend to skip the ones without that much words...(aka anything under 20k) Anyway, reading other fanfics gave me an idea! I've noticed that there were always these questions at the end of a chapter, and I thought that it would be fun to try posting some! Okay, so I have two. One that relates to the story that I'm generally curious about, and the other just for the heck of it!

What do you think the character of this story is like? I have some kind of vague notion, but other than that... This is just sad.

Would you rather be holed in your house for two weeks(with food, internet, and anything within reason)or be out two weeks attending parties with your friends and family and only return home to sleep? I would go with being holed in my house. I'm not really a people person, see. (-.-)

Looking forward to hearing from you guys! ;)


	11. Chapter Ten

Wave Mission: Part IV

I woke up, clamping a hand to my mouth to muffle my screams. To my left, Tsunami stirred slightly. Beads of sweat dripped from my forehead and down my cheeks; my hand holding the covers in a death grip. I forced myself to calm down, combing my bangs out of my face and getting out of the stuffy futon. My clammy hand shook as I grasped frantically for the door. Finding that I couldn't open it without making a huge racket, I slid to my knees, clasping my hands to my mouth in an effort not to throw up.

 _"SAKURA, get help!" Naruto yelled out, clutching a bleeding wound and on the verge of unconsciousness. His face was cut and bruised, angry swelling clearly visible. I could only look on helplessly, my own face fairing slightly better than his. Unlike normal days, his hair was dyed a muddy maroon color, a trickle of crimson dribbling past his cracked lips. Eyes wild, he continued to fight against a shadowed enemy; slashing and cutting, jumping and dodging._

 _A scream tore through the air. Naruto! I turned-_

 _Kakashi's desperate voice ran out, "Quickly, run! At least you'll be able to make it out safely!" I shook like a leaf. Even Kakashi was like this... He was our teacher. If... If he couldn't handle the enemy... I prepared to take off, legs buckling slightly._

 _"You... abandoning your teammates... What kind of scum are you?" I glance back, meeting pitch black eyes. W-what? "Getting help? You're probably going to just run away."_

 _"No!"_

 _"We all know that by the time you get 'help' we would be all dead anyways. Better to stay and fight if you have any shred of strength." After glancing at my shivering form, he scoffed, quickly slashing through someone as if they were an inanimate object. "Never mind, go. It's not like you would've been of help anyways."_

 _I forced myself out of my frozen state, "I'll... I'll stay." At that moment, a masculine yell rang out the open battle field._

 _My heart dropped to my stomach. Nonono!_

 _But before I could turn, the scene crumbled like a million rocks. Cries, screams, and shouts faded into nothing but white noise. Images that were once so vividly clear became distorted beyond recognition. As the ground opened and swallowed me whole, I could only hope that I would survive._

 _..._

 _Was it mere minutes that had passed? Or maybe hours? Time... was practically nonexistent. I hadn't the slightest clue._

 ** _Falling._**

 ** _Falling._**

 ** _Falling. It was endless._**

 _Really, by now, all I cared about was making it to the ground. I was going to go insane! With the way the cold held my bare throat, the unsettling darkness, complete quiet, my utter confusion... I was breaking. And fast._

 _Bam!_

 _My back grinded against the floor, making me let out a pathetic yelp. Grimacing, I held a hand to my back. Did I break anything? I lifted my other hand to lightly prod my back for any shifting bones. Nothing. I shifted myself so I was somewhat in a sitting position. What now?_

 _Breathing softly, I shakily stood up, using the floor to stand up. Panic and fear wrestled furiously in my mind, making my heart beat quicker with each passing second. Sight was something I depended on the most. Without it, I was as almost as good as dead. Or forever maimed. I didn't know which was worst._

 _A thunderous crash sounded from behind me. I jumped, whirling back with a frightened expression. "Sakura." Their voice flowed gracefully like a waterfall, but lacked a sort of human quality that made it seem strangely hollow. I pressed my lips shut, clenching my fists at my sides. "You don't belong here_ demon _." I shuddered at the freely expelling killing intent, not daring, no,_ unable _to move. It felt like multiple spears were stabbing into me, twisting when it went in, pulling back and going in once again. My mouth was bone dry, cold sweat building gradually on my forehead._

 _"Who is it?" I bit out the words in a raspy voice, using all my effort to stop my teeth from chattering._

 _I should have know it wouldn't work._

 _An empty laugh, "It doesn't matter." Out of nowhere, a blur of orange and reds grabbed a hold of both of my arms, burning through my kimono sleeves and imprinting itself onto my sensitive flesh. The flaming whip, in contrast to it's hot colors, was unbearably cold. It settled deep into my bones, cutting through my arms in a way that no kunai could. Unable to help myself, I screamed. "Die." Hysterical laughter surrounded me all around, metal projectiles shooting out from every direction, at nearly impossible speeds. I tried dodging, but the effort was a pitiful and fruitless attempt. With the whip keeping me on the ground, I had no chance. Every slight movement only cut deeper into my sensitive flesh._

 _I was helpless, practically a new born. Why was this happening?_

 _A knife struck my thigh, prompting another pained scream. Something warm and wet slid down my legs, soaking my black shorts. I sobbed. I-it hurts... Ith-hurts. Ithurts! Aburptly, the area around me lightened. I could finally see that I was kept in a large cage, similar to that of a bird's. My eyes adverted so that I was know looking at my hand pressing against my thigh, bright tendrils of red liquid spilling onto the metal floor._

 ** _Drip._**

 _..._

 ** _Drop._**

 _..._

 ** _Drip._**

 _._

 _.._

 _..._

 _There was now a puddle underneath my leg. A large, never-ending puddle._

 _Oh, how I was afraid. Afraid of what I would see. Afraid of what laid beneath my bloodied hands. It was just a cut, I told myself._ It wasn't just a regular cut! _You've seen cuts before, I told myself._ I've never seen "cuts" like this before! _A little blood won't kill you, I told myself._ A little blood won't kill me, but this is in now way little!

 _But no matter what I thought, I just couldn't convince myself. It was an irrational fear, I knew, but there was nothing I could do to help it._

 _I breathed in; I breathed out. With a somewhat more stable breathing cycle and heartbeat, my hands lifted from the "cut". I choked._

 _It was so..._

 _so..._

 _Repulsive._

 _The leaking wound was a gaping hole, the size of my hand in length, shuddering and trembling at my delicate touches. A black, bubbling substance poured from the gash like a oil spill, leaving almost no space for my deathly pale skin to be seen. Everything was just a jumbled mess of ripped skin and blood. I looked away, my cheeks draining of color._

 _Ever so slightly, the air shifted._

 _I looked up fearfully to the sight of the retreating whips, then back down to my mangled arms. It was horribly twisted, as expected. Angry welts appeared across my former clear skin, the imprint of the whips as clear as day. The marks were entwined like snakes, the patterns of the whips their skin and the thicker end their heads._

 _Closing my eyes, I whispered, "Please. Save me." A faint rumble met my plea. I opened my eyes._

 _Like clockwork, the scene started chipping. Light flowed in from the cracks and enveloped me like a blanket. Slumping in relief, I blacked out._

 _..._

 _I didn't know what had happened, only that I felt safe and comfortable. My back curled slightly, enveloping myself further in the silky, long strands of the green grass. I let out a pleased sigh. Everything was just so cozy... A sweet scent with a hint of freshness made it's way to my nose, making me inhale deeply. Mmm, seemed like it was the smell of flowers... From the countless of times I've walked by the Yamanaka flower shop, I should be able to tell._

 _I opened my eyes at a sloth's pace, blinking slowly to adjust to the overly bright area. Warm._

 _When all of a sudden, a soft breeze brought my attention to the lush, green meadow in front of me. My eyes widened in appreciation, legs automatically moving forward, one hand already reaching to caress the nearest lovely flower. How beautiful. I tapped the twilight-colored blossom lightly with one finger, amusing myself with thoughts on how so very frail it was. I straightened from my half-squat position._

 _Squinting hard, I raised my other hand to shade myself from the piercing sun._

 _Everything was simply ethereal. There were flowers of every shade, in a variety of sizes, each with an entirely different personality. Playful, mysterious, feminine, they were like fairies the way they lit up the whole area with their magic._

 _I absentmindedly scratched my arm. Wait, arm. Skin._ Skin _. I scratched my arm again. Clear skin! My fingers pinched a section of my slightly tanned skin. There were- There were no signs of the burn! Nothing! I hiked up the flowing lavender summer dress that I was wearing. No gash either. I felt my eyebrows furrow together._

 _"Sakura-chan!" I looked back to the all too familiar voice. Na...ruto? There was that striking blonde hair and bright blue eyes. Only there was something different about it. He was a little bit blurred, foggy maybe? No, that wasn't quite right. I couldn't pin it down, but- "Let's go!" Even the voice was a tad unusual, though it was still pitched the same as usual._

 _"Go where?" I questioned, lightly tugging my hand out of his surprisingly aggressive grip._

 _"To celebrate! Silly Sakura-chan!"_

 _I pursed my lips, "To... to celebrate what though?" Naruto slowly went to a halt; an almost sinister(how could that be?)silence descending onto the space between us. I instinctively inched away from him._ _ **It**_ _._

 _"You didn't know?" His voice flattened to a low hiss._

 _"..." I remained silent, wishing desperately for a kunai. Shurikan. Anything. Why hadn't I noticed? That wasn't Naruto. Naruto wasn't full of such a calculating evil that chilled even the most seasoned of shinobi._

 _Naruto... He was as bright as the sun, an excitable ball of energy; he called me 'Sakura'._

 ** _It_** _..._ _ **It**_ _was the opposite._ _ **It**_ _was wrongness personified._ _ **It**_ _was the creature that haunted children at night._ _ **It**_ _was the thing that was left behind when hope disappeared._ _ **It**_ _was_ chaos _._

 _In a flash, he was in front of me, tilting my chin, looking straight into my eyes. There was no longer the lively blue that had resided there only moments ago, instead replaced with a lifeless black. Skin abruptly turning sickly and ghostly pale, cheeks horribly gaunt, lips stretching into a grin far too big to be humanly possible, that was_ _ **it**_ _._

 _I was glued to the very ground I was standing on, the false comfort around me slipping away. The bird cage materialized, and I was once again trapped._ _ **It**_ _let go of my chin, patting my cheek gently in a way that just seemed so_ wrong _with the situation we were in. Slowly,_ _ **It**_ _wrapped_ _ **It's**_ _boney fingers around my throat. I was paralyzed._

 _Smile growing increasingly larger, It squeezed my throat. Lightly at first, then harder. And harder. And harder._

 _Pain, pain, PAIN. Blotches clouding my eyes, heart pounding against my chest, tears picking my eyes, my lungs desperate for air, I felt myself slipping deeper and deeper into the realm of death - this time, with no return._

 _"See you soon, Sakura~chan."_

That was when I woke up. I removed my hands from my mouth, raking my fingers through my locks repetitively, comforting myself.

Was this a premonition?

0o0o0

Ayyy, look who's back? I feel horrible for not updating sooner. And now I give you guys this pitifully short chapter... Trust me though, I actually did have a kinda, sorta legitimate reason for this. One word: SCHOOL.

So, there you have it. Oh yeah! Question for the day: what is your(or one of your)favorite Japanese song(s)?

Looking forward to hearing from all of my wonderful readers! Also, thanks so much for the all of the follows/favorites I received!


	12. Chapter Eleven

**Flashback:**

Pain, pain, PAIN. Blotches clouding my eyes, heart pounding against my chest, tears picking my eyes, my lungs desperate for air, I felt myself slipping deeper and deeper into the realm of death - this time, with no return.

"See you soon, Sakura~chan."

 _That was when I woke up. I removed my hands from my mouth, raking my fingers through my locks repetitively, comforting myself._

 _Was this a premonition?_

Wave Mission: V

I stayed in one spot for some time, slowly curling further and further into myself. It was just a nightmare. Something I could normally handle with ease... What makes this time so different? And why did it affect me to this extent? Nightmares weren't that hard to deal with. You wake up with your heart pounding like it's going to burst out of your chest for a few minutes, give or take, before finding out that no killing clown or some psycho doll was about to get you. That's all there is to it. Easy.

I sighed, at times like this, I really wished I had someone to confide in. Family to confide in...

Mother. She was always there to lend an ear or to give a hug when I came home, face blotchy and nose running. Father. His thoughtful emails always made my day a little better. Even my annoying siblings listened to me and noticed, somehow, when I was feeling down.

I miss them.

I wish- No. Stop. Just _stop_. What I was thinking was impossible.

They were gone now- I _had_ to realize that. Reduced to nothing but a precious memory. And it would stay that way, no matter what I tried. I steeled my watery gaze, hating myself just a little. Enough. I wouldn't keep on torturing myself like this.

After dressing and gathering my ninja gear, I took a deep breath...and slid open the paper door. Thud! My blurry vision was mobbed with tufts of bright blond, the sounds of heavy breathing in the background.

"'Morning, Sakura!" shouted Naruto, with his signature grin. I smiled back weakly.

"Why so early?" I tilted my head slightly in question. The smell of grass and dirt hit my nose, and I figured he must have been training.

"Training, of course! I need to get stronger to beat that bastard and kick that S-ranked nin's butt! I know I'll master tree-walking in no time!" Just as I thought. "But hey...are you okay, Sakura? You don't look too good."

I felt the smallest bit of shock, Naruto...noticed that? I should be more careful. The corners of my lips lifted higher in an effort for a better smile, "I'm fine, but you should take it easy, alright? It wouldn't be good for you to deplete your chakra supply and faint!"

"Huh... if you say so." he replied in a slightly quieter voice than normal. Then he returned to his usual self so fast I almost couldn't have caught his previous slip, "Wait, faint?! Nuh uh! Fainting is for girls!" I raised an eyebrow, and his face dawned with realization. He quickly started backpedaling, "Oh...um...n-not you Sakura! You're the exception. 'Cause you're reallysmartandstrongand-"

"Pfft, I get it Naruto. I think you should be worrying about Kakashi-sensei instead, though." I inched away from the light killing intent. He could be pretty scary without even trying, I have to admit.

"Eh?" he turned.

Kakashi's single eye crinkled unsettlingly, "Naruto, I guess we need to up your training, huh? No meals until you master tree-walking!"

"Whaaaat?!" Naruto gaped, frozen even when Kakashi left.

"Well then, good luck." I smiled.

"Sakuraaaa! Help me, please!"

 _"SAKURA, get help!"_

I blinked.

 _...a muddy maroon color, a trickle of crimson..._

"Um, Sakura?"

 _...slashing and cutting, jumping and dodging..._

"Sakura!" I blinked twice, startled.

"Yes?"

"Well, you were just spacing out..."

"Ah... is that so? Sorry about that. What did you want to ask, again? Just so you know, there's still some food in the left cupboard if you're hungry."

He stared at me for a while before answering, "Sakura, are you sure you're fine?"

I gave him a closed-eyed smile, not wanting him to see the truth in my eyes, "Yup. Don't worry."

"Okay." There was an awkward silence before Naruto shuffled away, "Never mind, Sakura! I'll figure it out myself!"

"See you..." I trailed off as I watch Naruto bounce out of the door like a rabbit on a sugar-high. "Now...what to do..."

0o0o0

...97...98...99...

My arms shook as I lowered my body and brought it back up for the last time.

100\. Finished. I collapsed on the ground in a sticky, wet mess. So out of shape... Gai and Lee would be disappointed at the amount I spend learning jutsus and chakra tricks instead of focusing on training my body. But today was different. I was going to spend more time honing my stamina and speed. Because honestly, that's probably all I can do at this point.

I sighed. There was nothing I was really good at. Standing up with a slight slump in my shoulders, I started on my stretches. A reach to the toes, lunges, splits...

After finishing them, I stood up and wiggled my limbs for a bit before moving onto something a little more new. It was a form that I just happened to read in one of the library books Gai lent to me and I was curious on how it would work for me. It was focused on using circular motions, nonresistant movements, and the control of the opponent. Seemingly perfect for a girl.

I closed my eyes, imagining a fist speeding towards me.

Check your stance. Ready yourself. Breathe.

I opened them.

Firmly grab fist. Quick pulling motion. Blow to the head. Finally... Twist, lock, _choke_.

I frowned. If that were a real person, I would have been dead. Damn it. I closed my eyes once more and pictured the textbook images as clearly as I possibly could, trying to burn it permanently in my mind.

Again. I would get this right.

0o0o0

Tomorrow was going to be the battle against Zabuza and Haku. I turned in my futon, covering my nose with the thin, slightly sweaty smelling sheet. And they were going to die. For the second time. How absolutely...wonderful.

My eyes trailed to the ceiling. There was also a chance that I might die too.

Ah. I really shouldn't have done that, thinking so pessimistically again. But seriously, what was I going to do? I was scared. Well, come to think of it, I'm always feeling like that. So pathetic. What am I even going to do with-

Shit. STOP THINKING NEGATIVELY.

I groaned and snuggled deeper into my futon.

0o0o0

My teeth clenched as I surveyed my surroundings. Bodies...everywhere... Piled on top of each other with their heads this way and that. It made me sick to my stomach. What I thought was a cheap scare tactic when I watched this scene was actually a chilling sight in reality. Zabuza... He was a man to be feared. And to think he was defeated so early in the series. Ha. The world was cruel.

Well, speak of the devil.

Mist started to spread into the clearing, enveloping the space around us like a cage. I immediately pulled out some newly-sharpened kunai, moving in front of Tazuna as a shield and discreetly nodding at the sweating man. He relaxed, if only a fraction.

Goose bumps crept up my bare skin as the mist completely surrounded us. I could feel Sasuke shivering next to me, but I didn't blame him. How could I? When I was the same. I dug my fingernails into my leg to stop it from shaking, but it was fruitless effort.

"Looks like you still have the brats." came the booming voice of our enemy. "The poor kid's shaking again... Heh, why don't you all just give up now when you have the chance?" Zabuza's clones surrounded us.

"Hmph. I'm just shaking...from excitement." I glanced at him and then at Kakashi when he gave the okay for Sasuke to do his thing. My eyes widened as he moved, struggling to follow his person as he slashed through the clones. It was all over too soon. I felt something in my chest then, a need to improve. It was times like this...that my weakness was all too clear. I shook my head to clear my thoughts. This could be dealt with later.

While I was lost in my thoughts, Haku appeared. He and Sasuke started fighting while I looked on and blocked the stray weapons. It seemed to be looking up for Sasuke when he demonstrated his speed, but it was soon crushed by Haku's superior ice jutsu.

I observed everything solemnly, carefully, noting that nothing seemed out of place so far... but I couldn't slack off. Tazuna was still my responsibility, and something could very well stray from the original plot line. If I remember correctly, Zabuza appeared right around-

I grabbed Tazuna and moved him some distance away, going in front of him in a basic protective stance in what few precious seconds I had. By the time Zabuza appeared to harm Tazuna, we were safe. Kakashi had moved as well, thinking to protect Tazuna and myself but saw that I had already handled it. I gave a small nod, and he immediately focused his attention on Zabuza, blocking an incoming attack.

The two had traded blows for a bit when suddenly, a malicious, suffocating chakra had all of us encased tightly. Naruto. I glanced towards the sparkling mirrors.

Just a little more before this battle is over...

0o0o0

The Sasuke in front of me looked like he was truly dead. His face took on a somewhat ashen shade paired with dried lips that lost its original pink color. Senbon littered throughout his scratched body and drew small beads of crimson blood that were absorbed into his dark blue clothing.

In Tazuna's eyes were a look of pity, "If you wanna cry kid, go ahead."

"It's alright." I said.

"Eh? He's your teammate, isn't he?"

I smiled, "Don't worry. He isn't dead."

"Oh. Sure looked like it. Man, that scared me." replied Tazuna, scratching his head.

I stared intently at the senbon. Hmm, would it be bad to pull it out? Yeah, better not do anything before I knew better. My eyes flickered back to the fighting just as Haku had his chest stabbed by Kakashi. I momentarily froze, eyes trained onto the blood dripping like faucet water on the ground. There was something morbidly fascinating about this scene that caused me to be unable to look away. Haku...died.

He really died.

My heart felt like it had missed a beat. Somewhere along this battle I had resigned myself to this one fact, no matter how much I tried to deny it. I could save no one when I was still incapable of saving myself. Playing hero would have to wait until I truly had the power to do so.

It was sad, but I had to accept this reality. For now. My fists clenched at my sides as I watched the appearance of the scumbag Gato and the annihilation that followed.

0o0o0

Afterwards, it was time for the pair of master and "tool" to finally rest, surrounded by flakes of pure white snow.

0o0o0

Hey, everyone! SO SO SORRY FOR THE LONG WAIT. I feel really bad for suddenly disappearing like that, but it has been really hard for me to find enough motivation to write lately. Also, I just finished taking a really difficult class that required me to put my all into studying to or else I won't pass. I sincerely thank all of you readers who have still been sticking with this story. The recent follows/favorites made me really happy! ^^

Question of the day: Do any of you watch any dramas? If so, name one you like!(W Two Worlds is seriously good. OMG. No words. Watch it if you can.)

Although this was a rushed and not that edited of a chapter, if you like it, please drop off a review! Looking forward to hearing from you all!


	13. Chapter Twelve

'...' - Eliza talking to Inner Sakura.

 **... -** Inner Sakura speaking.

We said our goodbyes and left the Land of the Waves...but not without Naruto and Inari bawling their eyes out and clutching each other like they would never see each other again. "T-this is called manly crying!" Naruto had yelled whenever someone would poke fun at him, face beet red and arms flailing this way and that. I smothered my snickers.

However, not everyone shared Naruto's cheerful mood. I only noticed the tense atmosphere once we walked further away from Waves. Sasuke was quiet and moody- even more withdrawn than usual. And Kakashi? Well, he was his... crinkly-eyed self, though more than a little guarded. The air he emitted seemed somehow darker than usual, if that made any sense.

Throughout the whole trip, no one succeeded in breaking the ice. I felt more than a little uncomfortable. Even Naruto's attempt at a conversation didn't work. Sasuke refused every provocation that came from Naruto's mouth with either a glare toward the ground or a disdainful turn of the head. If not for the situation, it would almost be impressive. I sighed mentally. Really, I wished he would just snap out of this funk already. Even if he wasn't my favorite person in the world, he still was my teammate. And I was stuck with him... until further notice.

Kakashi had even had the nerve to pull out his precious little book sometime after the unsuccessful ice-breaking and started leisurely scanning the pages- how typical. Gah! I wish I had something to do other than twiddle my thumbs!

By the time Naruto had moved onto bugging me instead of Sasuke, I was long gone into my thoughts. The topic of my strength, or lack of strength, had always bugged me. I had tried fixing that by going to Guy for help, but I knew that I would have to move on soon. Guy had his own team to take of, and their schedule was gradually becoming more team orientated. I would only get in the way. Besides, I was already grateful enough for the help that he had given me.

Well, I guess it's time to review what my strengths and weaknesses are- again. The Chuunin exams were coming up, and I had to know enough to keep myself alive. This time, there was no Kakashi to save my sorry butt.

Traps: Like I said before, I knew the basics, but I doubt that I'd get good enough within this short time frame. Besides, it really isn't my thing.

Ninjutsu: I might want to invest my time in one or two basic jutsus.

 **You might want to buy some chakra paper to test your affinity too!** **You didn't forget that one episode did ya? I saw that scene while I was looking through your memories.**

'Hmm... Good idea. But digging through my memories again?"

 **Oh hush.**

Genjutsu: I dismissed this before but on second thought, maybe I should learn at least one to get me out of pinch.

 **Damn right! You don't want to be unable to break out of that sleep genjutsu! That'd be lamer than lame! Who in fanfiction ever fails to break out of that genjutsu?**

'Yeah, that would be beyond embarrassing... And if I couldn't wake up, I'd probably die by a stray kunai or something.'

Taijustsu: Thanks to Guy, my stamina was pretty decent. I wouldn't say I was superwoman or something, but it was much better than before. I also had that new form I was working on, but I didn't know if it would be effective in battle. It flowed well and didn't focus primarily on strength, so I had high hopes. Instead, the form made it possible for a physically weaker person(a.k.a. me)to turn an opponent's greater strength against them.

Maybe I should have a spar with Naruto or Sasuke sometime? I'd place my bet on Naruto though, since I bet Sasuke still sees me as this weak fangirl. Oh well, I guess I'll just prove him wrong someday. Someday... Ahem.

 **You got that right! So work hard to become a completely badass girl!**

'Ehh... I wouldn't go that far. Badass? I'm happy enough to stay alive.'

 **Come on! Have a little self-confidence will ya? Stop being such a wimp!**

'Uh? Hah... Yeah.'

 **Oh God, you are going to need a** ** _lot_** **of work.**

Weapons: Now that I had some semblance of stamina, I could finally consider this. It'd be a good idea to find a good weapon to pair with my new form, but I still had no idea what I was going to choose.

Well, I guess I know where my priorities are.

 **Yup! Now, get to it!**

0o0o0

What seemed like days later, we arrived at the Konoha Gates. We were cleared by the gate guards, and then proceeded to report to the Hokage due to the unexpected(at least to the other three)rise in mission ranks. I'd say it went better than expected, considering how battered we all were. Well, except one. How the _hell_ was Naruto able to have all that energy? I was dead tired by the time I finished, while he looked as if he just woke up after a particularly long nap.

Ugh. Please, teach me your skills.

Wait. Actually, no. On second thought, since he's the, you know-

 **Ya idiot. How could you forget?**

...Kyuubi. GoddamnitwhyamIsuchanasshole?!

0o0o0

As I neared my house, my eyes widened a bit as I noticed the lights. I could've sworn I turned them off when I left... How odd. I played with my key and stood in the front of the door for a few seconds before my tired brain began processing the weight of the situation.

Lights? Now that I think about it, I'm absolutely sure I turned them off. Who could it possibly be? An intruder? Not likely but still a possibility. I rubbed my temples tiredly. Come on, think. Who were close to Sakura? Her parents, her relatives- Hold on. Her parents! I shook my head. Why didn't I think about that?

After schooling my features into a semi-happy expression, I twisted open the knob and announced my presence: "I'm home!" My stomach twisted slightly at the thought of meeting Sakura's parents. Would they be able to tell that something was off? That I wasn't really their daughter?

"Welcome back!" shouted a grinning man, pink haired man from the living room. Instantly, I felt myself stiffen up. He just looked so happy to see me...and I was just... Oh, I don't know anymore. Whatever. I'll just go with the flow.

"Welcome back, honey!" immediately came the soft, tinkling voice of a fair woman as she peaked her head out from the kitchen. I sniffed the air. Meat. My mouth started watering as I closed my eyes in appreciation for the godly smells. I hadn't ate anything except for those ration bars in the morning. Blegh. I really needed to buy a better brand.

 **Those honestly taste like shit man. Buy better ones ASAP!**

'Yes, yes.'

"Sakura-chan! You look so battered! Was it a-" Grumble. I smiled sheepishly at the same time a roaring laugh burst out. "Looks like my little princess is hungry! Come on then! What are you waiting for?" He stood up and walked to the dining table. I followed him eagerly, perking up at the mention of food.

"Whaaat? I've only been eating these stupid bars for a month! I'm dying for some home cooked food!" I found myself surprisingly able to slide into the daughter role with little effort. Kizashi was an easy man to like, playful and loud- kind of like my dad. Still, I felt a pang of discomfort when I realized I was essentially taking another girl's parents. Was I... thinking too deeply?

"Well then, you're in luck! Your mom made a whole lot of your favorite dishes!"

"Seriously? Awesome!" I fist pumped the air. I was acting real childish, wasn't I?

 **The real question is, aren't you always?**

'Shut up. I'm enjoying quality family time.'

 **Ooohh. 'Family time' is it? If I remember correctly, you didn't see them as family like, five seconds ago?**

'...shut up.'

 **I rest my case.**

Oh well. Food is always an area for excitement. Sakura's, I mean, my mom chose that moment to come out with a sizzling plate of beef. My eyes widened. I gulped. The meat was glistening and looked so very tender, fats dripping alluringly down the meat and mixing with the sweet teriyaki sauce. Tell me I'm not drooling. When I reached out with my chopsticks, she gently slapped my hand away with a smile.

"Uh uh! Not now, young lady. Wait until all of the dishes are out." I wilted. Sa- My dad waited until my mom was in the kitchen and started reaching out towards the wondrous plate. I looked at him it utter betrayal, until- "And don't think I don't see what you're doing Kizashi Haruno! Put those chopsticks down!" It was his turn to wilt. I smirked.

0o0o0

When all of the dishes had been put away and we were all seated at the table, my dad decided to speak up about what he had been meaning to ask me. "So, Sakura-chan, how was your mission?" I wasn't sure whether or not to tell them the truth. They were just civilians, so they would no doubt be shocked when I accounted the full tale. Shit. Just when I felt myself spiraling into a hole and never coming back, my dad backpedaled. "I mean, you don't have to tell us if you don't want to, sweetheart. It's just that we were worried-!"

I cut him off before he would bite his tongue with how fast he was talking, "It's okay, dad. I was just hesitating because I was unsure how to begin. You see, the mission ranking went up from a C-ranked mission to a...higher rank." Their faces immediately scrunched up. "See! I knew this would happen! Don't worry, guys. I came back safe and sound. A-and I wasn't even hurt that badly compared to all of the others!" They relaxed.

This time my mom voiced her question, voice slightly wobbling, "What happened during your mission?" I sighed and went over the same things that I said before to the Hokage, except in a much less official-like tone.

By the time I finished, their frequent questions became nonexistent. My mom's face turned white and even a little teary, and I rushed to placate her. "The important thing is that I'm fine and back with you guys. Don't cry, okay? Come on, mom. You're making me sad too."

"How can I not? I'm always so _worried_ for you. Someday, one of those people in black might come back with a scroll, telling me that you're _gone._ I won't know what to _do_ then! Satoshi's mother just had just gotten a scroll telling her that he had just died on a mission, and they didn't even f-find a body. I don't want that to happen to you!"

"It's alright. Everything's going to be alright." My dad started comforting my mom by rubbing circles around her back. I could only sit helplessly as my mom clung onto me, one hand tugging me closer and the other holding securely onto my head.

"Can't you choose another profession?" sobbed my mom.

I let my bangs fall into my eyes, "I'm sorry, mom. But I can't. I-i just... I can't let down my team. And if I weren't a ninja, I wouldn't be able to protect you guys. I wouldn't be able to even protect myself! Please understand. I've come this far already. I... I can't just stop now."

My mom looked at me like a lost fawn before sighing heavily, "One side of me understands but the other... not so much. I knew you wouldn't agree, but I wanted to have hope. Stubborn as a mule, just like your father." I heard an indignant "hey!" before she continued, "But... be safe, okay, honey? Be safe..."

I swiped at my moist eyes, "Okay, mom. I promise." She gave me a watery smile and enveloped me into a soft hug. My dad then wrapped his arms around all of us. I closed my eyes.

 _A fluffy cake covered in white cream and ruby-red strawberries. Colorful balloons full of well-wishes. Unwrapped present boxes and tattered blue wrapping paper.  
_

 _"Happy Birthday to you~ Happy Birthday to you~ Happy Birthday dear Eliza~ Happy Birthday to you!"  
_

 _Everyone had taken a seat around the circular dinner table and began urging me to blow the candles out. I grinned, blowing them all out with one big breath before slapping away the hands of my siblings from reach the cake.  
_

 _"Eliza, what the heck?!"_

 _"It's my birthday! I get the first taste!" I laughed at their expression before taking a huge gob of cream on my finger and putting it into my mouth.  
_

 _"Eliza!" came the cry of both of my parents. I only smiled and took a strawberry.  
_

 _"It's my birthday?" I offered.  
_

 _My mother sighed before replying, Alright, alright. Just for your birthday, okay?"  
_

 _Flash. flash. I turned to see my dad taking a picture of all of us.  
_

 _"DAD. I wasn't ready." pouted my little sister as she hurriedly fixed up her hair. I rolled my eyes as I helped her comb through her curls.  
_

 _"Let's all take a picture." suggested my mother.  
_

 _"I knew you'd say that!" said my dad, attaching the camera onto the tripod. "Come on, gather up." We all scooted our chairs closer, arms around each other, and grinned at the camera.  
_

 _"Three... Two... One... Cheese!"  
_

I smiled. My heart felt a kind of warmth that it hadn't felt for a long time, one that filled you up like a cup of warm tea and wrapped around you like a soft, fuzzy blanket. These people... I will protect them in Sakura's stead. To ease my guilt, to pay them back what what they gave me, I don't know, but I'll be _damned_ if I don't give it my all.

0o0o0

So... [insert valid excuse].

*preps armor* I'm ready guys. (Ｔ ▽ Ｔ)

Okay, jokes aside, sorry for the HUGE delay! Shout out to Pleasereadmything for giving me feedback on this chapter! Also, thank you to all of you fabulous readers who are STILL sticking to this story. I wouldn't have managed to get my procrastinating self to start writing without you readers in mind!

As always, a favorite or a follow would absolutely make my day! :D


	14. Chapter Thirteen

'...' - Eliza talking to Inner Sakura.

 **... -** Inner Sakura speaking.

The next morning, I woke up early out of habit. The sun just barely peaked out out of the navy-colored sky, and my parents were still fast asleep- judging by their peaceful chakra signatures. I stretched and got out of bed, preparing to go out.

After I finished, I slid downstairs and grabbed an onigiri out of the near-empty fridge. I opened the front door and stepped out, turning in the direction of the library. The dark sky enveloped me as I took a deep breath of the cool air and closed my eyes.

Let's do this! S- Shannaro! I opened my eyes and nodded to myself.

When I entered the library, I walked to the genin section and paced back and forth the aisle until I found the scrolls that I wanted. I reached for ones labled 'Basic Genjutsu' and 'Basic Ninjutsu' as starters. The dust flew in several directions as I pulled the scrolls free, causing several loud sneezes to escape my throat. The library obviously needs some extra help. Through watering eyes, I noticed that most of the scrolls in this aisle needed serious dusting. The job was far too large for just a few people. I waved the dust away with my free hand and left the aisle.

I quickly sat down with my two scrolls and opened one up. Randomly, I decided to try the one with genjutsu first. Hell Viewing: Demonic Illusion Technique... D-rank. Causes the victim to face their worst fears...

Just like the one Kakashi used on me.

I shuddered. Yeah, I could probably use this. It's not too hard and will have a slight impact. Well. It did on me, but I'm pretty sure I'm not a good example... It doesn't take much to freak me out.

I flipped open the notebook that I brought with me and started taking notes. How nostalgic. And to think there was finally a day where I was whole-heartedly taking notes. Not that I was a terrible student before, but who likes taking notes? Not me for sure.

I scanned through the scroll several times before I continued onto the next scroll. I totally forgot how tedious note taking was...

The process continued on for a while before the sun rose high in the sky. Rays of sunlight streamed through the windows of the musty library, reaching out to touch the edges of the frayed scrolls. By that time, my fingers felt cramped and rigid, neck sore from craning to see the small print of the scrolls.

I yawned, then sneezed, pulling my arms as far as I could from my body. Satisfying cracks sounded along my back and neck. Then, my stomach suddenly growled- as if knowing I was about to leave. I patted my stomach decisively and cleaned up my area as efficiently as I could.

After gathering my materials, I all but ran out of the library due to the obnoxious growling sounds coming out of my stomach. I hadn't realized that I was that hungry. Now, where to go... As I pondered and looked around the area, I spotted a yellow dot in the distance. As it grew closer, I could make out an orange jump suit.

"Hey, Sakura!" Naruto greeted, now a few feet away. Due to brightness of the sun, I could not make out his features, but the orange jumpsuit gave it away. I waved and stepped to the side, just when he barreled into the spot where I stood originally. When he stopped, he continued, "Whatcha doing?"

Odd. His voice... There was a thickness layering his words that made my stomach turn. As I glanced at his face, I felt myself stiffen minutely. His eyes were red-rimmed and shadowed, glistening, with a grin that didn't quite reach his eyes.

I scrambled to reply, before the silence became awkward: "A-ah, nothing much."

"Aha! Really? That's good!" He raised a hand to his head, closing his eyes for an eye-smile.

My fingers reached upwards to tug at my earlobe. "But hey, Naruto... are you-"

"I'm fine! Absolutely fine! How 'bout I catch you later, Sakura? I, uh, kinda got something to do!" Before he could run away, I grabbed his arm. My eyes widened at my audacity, but my fingers refused to slacken.

Everyone knows how it feels to cry. You're embarrassed. You feel weak, pathetic. Even angry.

 _I lock the door and pull the curtains shut, collapsing onto my bed. Hot tears well up in my eyes until I can no longer see clearly, slipping down my cheeks and soaking my pillow. I brush them away furiously, steeling myself, but they refuse to go cease. If anything, they seem to flow faster._

 _Shame blossoms in my stomach, coloring my cheeks red. I'm such a baby. Why can't I stop crying? I'm so stupid. This isn't anything to be upset about. I'm fine. I'm okay. I'm not crying._

 _..._

 _God damn it! Stop crying! This is why no one likes you! You are a worthless, pitiful human being! You are an absolute-_

 _"Eliza?" A knock sounds at the door. "What are you doing? Why is the door looked?" I quickly wipe my tears away with my heart thudding rapidly, clearing my throat several times under the covers._

 _"I- I'm changing, mother!"_

 _"Alright, alright, I was just checking."_

 _Something in me snaps when I hear her walking away and I yell, "Mother!"_

 _"What is it, honey?"_

 _"I-" feel sad. I want someone to comfort me. I want someone to hug and tell me it's okay, even when it's not._

 _"Nevermind."_

So I won't let him be alone.

He faced me desperately, trying to tug his arm out from my grasp, "Come on, Sakura. I'm not joking. This is serious. I've got something really important to do!"

"So am I. Naruto, you're lying. I can tell. Now, come with me."

"What are you-"

"Shush. Just don't talk for a few minutes." I held onto his hand and pulled him forwards.

0o0o0

A cool breeze blew over the Hokage Mountain, rustling several locks of my pink hair and causing small goosebumps to appear on my uncovered legs.

"Why'd ya bring me here?" Naruto sat cross-legged on top of the rocks with his head bowed while I stood with my arms folded across my chest. I walked over to where he sat and plopped down next to him, then unzipped my jacket and threw it over his head.

"So you can cry." With that said, he stopped trying to take off the jacket on his head.

"Wha-"

"Listen. I don't know what happened, and I'm not going to ask. Just go ahead and let it all out. Cry, sob, scream, whatever. As your friend, I won't judge you if you do. And if you want a shoulder to get all your snot on, you have one right here." I patted my shoulder.

"It's okay. I'm not really..."

"No, you're not. Trust me, Naruto. I've been through this before, and... you know, it really helps to have someone with you." I patted his trembling shoulders, using a gentler tone. "It's alright. I promise what happens here, stays here. No one will know other than us two."

"..."

"Naruto?"

"You promise?"

"What?" I was surprised at how soft his voice had become. It sounded so vulnerable and raw and so very full of emotion. My heart clenched.

"You promise? That... you really won't tell?"

"Absolutely." Cross my heart and hope to die.

"...okay. Alright." His voice cracked and his shoulders visibly trembled harder. I moved his head onto my shoulders and wrapped my arms around him.

Soon, I could feel a wetness on my shoulders and quiet sobs.

0o0o0

We didn't exactly become buddy-buddy immediately after that. In fact, it was quite awkward. After he had let it all out, he refused to even meet my eyes for a solid five minutes. It was only after I mentioned ramen that he began to look at me again and mumbled a quiet thank you. How cute.

...

He regained some of his normality once we stepped into the ramen stand, and the rich, meaty smell of the broth flew into our noses. As we headed towards the seats in the corner, I observed the worn wooden walls and the faded red seats, relaxing in the homey atmosphere. The glow from the miniature red-orange lanterns lighting the area set me at ease, and the little waving cat decoration seemed to smile wider at the sight of us. I liked this place.

"Naruto! Long time no see! Brought a girl with you, did ya?" Teuchi, the owner, asked, winking. Naruto turned slightly pink and shook his head, looking at me with wide eyes. His expression was so uncharacteristic of him that it made me smile a little.

"No, nothing like that. I'm his teammate, Haruno, Sakura."

"Ah. Haruno-chan, is it? Well, your bowl's on the house! Naruto's friend is my friend, and it's your first time here! Make sure to spread a good word."

"I sure will!" I smiled in appreciation. "And it's Sakura."

"Now, what would you guys like to order?"

By this time, Naruto had gotten over his embarrassment and fired off several orders of his favorite ramen. I chose a bowl of Pork Ramen, since it was what Naruto recommended.

At last, our bowls arrived, piping hot. The steam came out of our bowls in thick plumes, mouth watering smells right under our noses. I picked up the pair of wooden chopsticks right next to the black bowl and broke it in two, dipping them into the broth and picking up some of the soft noodles.

I barely chewed the noodles before Naruto asked a question that made me choke and hack for a good few seconds.

Nervous laughter escaped me before I could stop it. "What do you mean by that?"

"I mean..." He scratched his head and smiled. "You just seemed so... different from before. It seems like you two are completely different people! Is it possible for a person to change so much?"

"Well..."

"Not that it's bad or anything! I like you way better now than before! I'm just worried... Never mind." His ears turned red.

"Worried?"

"Never mind!"

"Aww, come on! What is it?"

"That you'll suddenly change and... won'tbemyfriendanymore." I smiled so wide that my cheeks hurt. Is it possible for someone to be so darn adorable?

"Come here, you little-!" I grabbed his head for a headlock and tousled his hair roughly, nearly spilling the bowls in front of us.

"Stop! Stop!" I laughed at the look on his face.

0o0o0

What?! An update that isn't months late? That's right! I hope you guys enjoy this chapter and as always, a review/follow/favorite would make absolutely brighten up my day! :)

Question of the Day(i forgot this last time, haha...): Any kpop(korean pop)fans out there? If so, comment your favorite group(s)! I've recently become a fan of BTS. Check them out!


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